Loading…
Example 6.25 from Prealgebra, 6.3 Solve Sales Tax, Commission, and Discount Applications
Solve Sales Tax, Commission, and Discount Applications: example 6.25
Cathy bought a bicycle in Washington, where the sales tax rate was of the purchase price. What was
- ⓐ the sales tax and
- ⓑ the total cost of a bicycle if the purchase price of the bicycle was
Work it out on paper first. Then open the solution one step at a time, and stop as soon as you can finish on your own.
Solution
ⓐ Identify what you are asked to find. What is the sales tax? Choose a variable to represent it. Let sales tax. Write a sentence that gives the information to find it. The sales tax is 6.5% of the purchase price. Translate into an equation. (Remember to change the percent to a decimal). Simplify. Check: Is this answer reasonable? Yes, because the sales tax amount is less than 10% of the purchase price. Write a complete sentence that answers the question. The sales tax is $25.48. ⓑ Identify what you are asked to find. What is the total cost of the bicycle? Choose a variable to represent it. Let total cost of bicycle. Write a sentence that gives the information to find it. The total cost is the purchase price plus the sales tax. Translate into an equation. Simplify. Check: Is this answer reasonable? Yes, because the total cost is a little more than the purchase price. Write a complete sentence that answers the question. The total cost of the bicycle is $417.48.
Your turn
The book's Try It right after this example: same idea, new numbers. Only the answer is given.
Find ⓐ the sales tax and ⓑ the total cost: Alexandra bought a television set for in Boston, where the sales tax rate was of the purchase price.
How did it go?