Question

Five friends ate lunch together. They each paid the same amount the total cost of all five meals was $51.94 which included a 6% sales tax, what was the cost of one meal before tax was added?

Answer 1

Given:

Total number of friends = 5

Total cost of all five meals = $51.94

Sales tax = 6%

To find:

The cost of one meal before tax was added.

Solution:

Let x be the cost of all five meals before tax.

Then, Amount of tax = 6% of x

According to he question,

$x+\dfrac{6}{100}x=51.94$

$x+0.06x=51.94$

$1.06x=51.94$

Divide both sides by 51.94.

$x=\dfrac{51.94}{1.06}$

$x=49$

So, the cost of all five meals before tax is $49.

Divide this cost by 5 to get the cost of one meal before tax was added.

$\dfrac{49}{5}=9.8$

Therefore, the cost of one meal before tax was added, is $9.8.