The Hendersons have just bought a home that requires some monthly yard maintenance. They are trying to decide if they should hire a professional lawn care service to maintain the property or do it themselves. Below are the costs associated with both options:Professional Service OptionDo-It-Yourself Option$75 for the first month$250 lawnmower $45 per month after initial visit$135 edgerIncludes mowing and edging the lawn, trimming the bushes, and raking the leaves.$69 hedge trimmer $25 rakeHow long would it take before the Hendersons would recover their costs if they chose to do it themselves over the professional service?
The do-it-yourself equipment costs $250 + $135 + $69 + $25 = $479. The professional service costs $75 for the first month and $45 for each month after that, so its total after 10 months is $75 + ($45 × 9) = $480. By then, hiring the service would have cost slightly more than buying the equipment, so the Hendersons recover their costs after 10 months. The correct choice is 10 months.
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