Calculate Sales Tax - Questions and Answers

Calculate Sales Tax - Questions and Answers One of the most common types of percent problems youll encounter in daily life is calculating sales tax. Its not hard to do. Heres an example of how a student worked through percent and sales tax problems and tips on how you can learn to master the technique, too. Student With Sales Tax Problems I was tutoring Jason (not his real name), to prepare him for Algebra. He attended tutoring on the Internet with the help of his high-speed internet connection, web camera, computer, and graphing calculator. Thankfully, all of the technology was functioning properly and we were on our way to higher grades.  Today, I began, we are going to review percents and sales tax.Ok, Ms. Jennifer, I got this. I know all about sales tax. Jason confidently announced as he pulled out a pen.Oh no, Jason. Where is your pencil?Pencil? Jason was puzzled about a ten cent pencil, yet he sat in a maze of hundreds of dollars of gadgets.Yes, Jason, a pencil. You know that we do not do math in pen.Yes maam.  Jason hunted down a pencil and sharpened it with a butter knife. A hand sanitizer gel spill had ruined his pencil sharpener but rendered it 99.9% germ-free. Calculating Sales Tax After Jason put away his primitive sharpening tool, we talked about a printer that he was planning to buy. At $125, the printer was a bargain, but I emphasized that he needed to know the true amount to stay within his budget. If the sales tax rate was 8%, then how much would he pay in sales tax for the printer? What do you know?The sales tax rate is 8% or 8 percent. Realize that 8 percent means 8 per 100.8% 8/100The printer cost $125.00With percents, think part/whole.8 (part)/100 whole x (the part, or the sales tax amount is unknown) /125 (the whole)8/100 x/125Cross multiply. Hint: Write these fractions vertically to get the full understanding of cross multiplying. To cross multiply, take the first fractions numerator and multiply it by the second fractions denominator. Then take the second fractions numerator and multiply it by the first fractions denominator.8 * 125 x * 1001000 100xDivide both sides of the equation by 100 to solve for x.1000/100 100x/10010 xVerify the answer.Does 8/100 10/1258/100 .0810/125 .08 So, he would spend $135 ($125 $10) on a $125 printer. Note: Add $125 and $8 to get the total amount. Remember, the sales tax is 8% of the price, not $8. Answers and Explanations Original Worksheet Sales Tax Percent Example Calculations 1. Laptop Bag Price: $18Sales tax rate: 9%Sales tax amount:$1.62Final cost: $19.62 What do you know?9/100 x/18 Cross Multiply and Solve.9 * 18 x * 100162 100x162/100 100x/100$1.62 xVerify the Answer. Does 9/100 1.62/18?9/100 .091.62/18 .09$1.62 $18 $19.622. Anti-Virus SoftwarePrice: $50Sales tax rate:   8.25%Sales tax amount: $4.125Final cost: $54.13 What do you know?8.25/100 x/50 Cross Multiply and Solve.8.25 * 50   x * 100412.50 100x412.50/100 100x/100$4.125 xVerify the Answer. Does 8.25/100 4.125/50?8.25/100 .08254.125/50 .0825$4.125 $50  Ã¢â€°Ë† $54.13 3. USB DrivePrice: $12.50Sales tax rate: 8.5%   Sales tax amount: $1.0625Final cost: $13.56 What do you know?8.5/100 x/12.50 Cross Multiply and Solve.8.5 * 12.50   x * 100106.25 100x106.25/100 100x/100$1.0625 xVerify the Answer. Does 8.5/100 1.0625/12.50?8.5/100 .0851.0625/12.50 .085$12.50 $1.0625 ≈ $13.56 4. Graphing CalculatorPrice: $95Sales tax rate:   6%Sales tax amount: $5.70Final cost: $100.70 What do you know?6/100 x/95 Cross Multiply and Solve.6 * 95   x * 100570 100x570/100 100x/100$5.70 xVerify the Answer. Does 6/100 5.70/95?6/100 .065.70/95 .06$95 $5.70 100.70 5. MP3 Player Price $76Sales tax rate:   10%Sales tax amount: $7.60Final cost: $83.60 What do you know?10/100 x/76 Cross Multiply and Solve.10 * 76   x * 100760 100x760/100 100x/100$7.60 xVerify the Answer. Does 10/100 7.60/76?10/100 .107.60/76 .10$76 $7.60 $83.60 6. Laptop ComputerPrice: $640Sales tax rate:   8.5%Sales tax amount: $54.40Final cost: $694.40 What do you know?8.5/100 x/640 Cross Multiply and Solve.8.5 * 640   x * 1005440 100x5440/100 100x/100$54.40 xVerify the Answer. Does 8.5/100 54.40/640?8.5/100 .08554.40/640 .085$640 $54.40 $694.40