Question

Mike bought an MP3 player for $150. The sales-tax rate was 8 percent. How much sales tax did he pay on the MP3 player?

Answer 1

no i suck at math.. :/

Answer 2

Wait its 12 right?

Answer 3

I'm thinking they are looking for a different answer.

Answer 4

help me on this one please :3

Jan bought a blazer for $39.90. The price of the blazer was $38. What sales-tax rate was she charged for this blazer?

Answer 5

$150 is the total price including tax

So the total cost = price + tax

Let P = Price
And P (.08) = tax
So equation is

P + .08P = 150
P (1+.08) =150
P = 138.89

So the tax = 150-138.89 or 11.11

Answer 6

$158 dollars. Just fins 8 percent of 150 dollars and then subtract that amount from 150 dollars

Answer 7

On the 2nd one, it's easier.

Price is $38, tax is $1.50.

Tax Rate = tax/price = 1.50/38 =3.95%

Answer 8

Make sure you look at my longer solution for the 1st one. The tax is not on the total cost. It's on the price of the item and what you pay for something is price + tax.

Answer 9

i know i got it thanks, :) do you mind helping me on this one..

Rita bought a pair of jeans for $89. The sales-tax rate is 11 percent. What is the total amount she paid for the jeans?

Answer 10

79.21 dollars

Answer 11

So, this is the 3rd way they can ask this question. They are a little confusing, you have to read them carefully to see what they are asking.

Here it sounds like, the jeans cost $89 and you have to add the tax to it, and see what the TOTAL AMOUNT is.

So,
cost = $89
tax = $89 * .11 = $9.79
TOTAL AMOUNT = $98.79

You now have the 3 different ways this question can be asked.

Answer 12

so wait its like all the same just written differently?

Answer 13

No when you find the tax price you subtract that from the other price which is 89 dollars you don't add

Answer 14

@Tanzina....they are asking for the TOTAL AMOUNT....so the one given can't be the total...it has to be the price of the item BEFORE tax.

Answer 15

Oh ya at first I didn't know that your right sorry
How do I give you a medal

Answer 16

@ceceee

In each question, they gave different information for the same general problem.

Price of item * tax = Total Amount

in #1) they gave tax rate and total cost and you had to solve for tax amount
in #2) they gave price of item and total cost, and you had to solve for tax rate
in #3) they gave price of item and tax rate and you had to solve for total amount

You have to read the question carefully and figure what they have given you and what they are asking for.

Answer 17

@Tanzina no worries, the wording on these types of questions is usually poor and very easy to get wrong if you read it quickly

Answer 18

You see aim in advanced regents placement class and I forgot how to do this

Answer 19

@Scott* okay so is this the same also?

Kate is at a T-shirt sale where she can buy one and get a second one for 30% off. She wants to buy two T-shirts listed at $19 each. How much will she pay?

Answer 20

Well this is a different question.

You have to read carefully what the question is asking. This one says T-shirts cost $19 each, but the 2nd one is 30% off.

So,
T-shirt #1 costs $19
T-shirt #2 costs $19 less 30% of $19 or $13.30

$19 + $13.30 = $32.3

Answer 21

okay im still confuse and im really sorry if i seem dumb but just i need to pass this math test to go back to my old school. ..so can you please help me on this one

Mary is buying several items that cost $128.25 total. She is using a store coupon for 35% off her purchases. She has to pay 4% sales tax. Calculate the total cost of the items.

Answer 22

I hate the way they use the word cost to mean multiple things. It is confusing.

Answer 23

Let's step thru this one....it's actually straight forward.

So, what is the price tag (before tax and discount) of everything she bought?

Answer 24

19, but for both without the discount is 38 ... correct?

Answer 25

wait...just from the question....read it again....no math...what is the price tag?

Answer 26

ohgosh sorry >.< i thought it wasanother question sorry. but 128.25?

Answer 27

Right...now do you apply the discount first or sales tax?

Answer 28

the sales tax?

Answer 29

No...think about when you go into a store...an item is $20, but it's on sale for $10....do you pay tax on the $20 or $10.

Answer 30

the 10

Answer 31

Correct, after the discount...so, let's calculate what the discount is and what the new price of the items are....go ahead and try

Answer 32

is the new price 83.36?

Answer 33

Yes...nice job...now what do you have to do?

Answer 34

i have a lot to do ;c

Answer 35

sorry...I meant with this question...you haven't finished the question yet

Answer 36

oh lol sorry, hm you find out the sales tax?

Answer 37

yep

Answer 38

and is that 4.00?

Answer 39

No...it's 4% of the price of the items

Answer 40

hm idk how to do that ..

Answer 41

wait is it 86.69?

Answer 42

Price of the items * tax rate = tax amount

So,
83.36 * .04 = 3.33

Now, the total cost is

83.36 + 3.33 = 86.69

Answer 43

Nice job

Answer 44

thank you :) is calculating tips hard?

Answer 45

You know how to do the math...now you just have to read very carefully the word problem and figure out what they are asking you

Answer 46

No problem.....

Calculating tips is same type of math.

Let's use easy numbers:

You spend $50 on dinner and want to give a 10% tip, You give $5.

Now, the hardest question they can ask is:

You spend a total of $55 on dinner and tipped 10%, how much did you tip?

Answer 47

you tip 10 dollars?

Answer 48

Look at the first one...the answer is $5... now how do you get there?

Do you know the distributive property: A(B +C) = AB + AC ???

Answer 49

You are confusing % and dollars...If they say % you have to multiply that by something to get how many $$

Answer 50

okay i get it now. do you just subtract half from the percentage? and yes i do

Answer 51

OK...this question isn't straight forward...it's like the 1st one you asked in this thread....I'll explain

Answer 52

Let P = Price of meal
Let T% = percent you want to tip
Let T = $$ you will tip
Let C = Total Cost of the meal

P + T = C (price of meal + $ you will tip = total cost
T = T% * P ($ you will tip = price of meal * tip percentage
so
P + (T% * P) = C
using distributive property you can take out the P and get:
P (1 + T%) = C

So, in the question I asked:
C = $55
T% = 10%

P(1+10%)=$55
1.1P = 55 (divide both sides by 1.1)
P = 50

you can calculate tip 2 ways:

Total Cost - Price of meal = 55 - 50 = 5
or
Tax % * price of meal = 10% * 50 = 5

There is a lot there. But if you can handle this one, you will be able to handle them all.

Answer 53

THANK YOU ! i saved this, you broke it down easier

Answer 54

Good luck...I'm taking off...if you need anything continue posting...either someone else will pickup and or I'll check back in tomorrow for a little bit.

Answer 55

okay thank you again :)