Real-Life Math
You have a couple of files open on different cases. You're trying
to figure out when these offenders will be eligible to go before a parole
board. You don't just guess or use intuition when it comes to figuring out
these kinds of questions. You have to use math to figure out how long someone
has been in prison and how much of their sentence has been served.
Part
A
The first case you flip open just went to trial. Sam was put
in jail on Dec. 14, 2011 for robbery. He was in jail until his trial. He was
found guilty and has been sent to jail for two years.
However, you
note that the conviction date was Feb. 19, 2012. The time that Sam spent in
jail waiting for his trial should be taken away from his sentence. You want
to know how many days Sam will spend in jail because you need this information
to figure out when he will be eligible for parole. How many more days will
Sam spend in jail?
Part B
In the next case, the offender
is going to be eligible for early parole because of good behavior. Marie has
been convicted of murder and was sentenced to 25 years in jail. She's now
finished two-thirds of her sentence. Her period of parole added to the time
she has already served may not exceed the total years of her initial sentence.
How many years will she be on parole?
Part C
You flip
open another file. This person hasn't gone to prison yet, but still wonders
when he may be eligible for parole. You know that offenders in your jurisdiction
only serve 85 percent of their sentence behind bars. If this person's sentence
is five years, how long will it be before he can be released
from prison?