Even if we don't know the meaning of the word mercenaries, we have a context clue in the form of a synonym/restatement, which is "hired professional soldiers," i.e., the very definition of what a mercenary is. The fact that the noun phrase "hired professional soldiers" follows "mercenaries" after a comma and is in plural form too helps find this context clue.
$39.10. First, you multiply the $46.00 by .15 (when converting the percentage to a decimal). When multiplied, you get 6.90. Lastly, subtract the 6.90 from the $46.00 to get $39.10
