Question

The sale tax on an item is %6. Express the total cost, C, in terms of the price of the item, P.

Answer 1

Answer: C = 1.06P

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Explanation:

The sales tax is 6% of the price P

6% of P = 0.06P

Add on the original cost P to get P+0.06P = (1+0.06)P = 1.06P

The 1.06 indicates the final after tax cost is 106% of the original price.

You can think of it like 100% + 6% = 106% = 1.06

So that's how we end up with C = 1.06P

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An example using actual numbers:

Let P = $100 be the initial cost before tax

6% of P = 0.06*P = 0.06*100 = 6 dollars is the tax

100+6 = 106 is the final cost

Note how C = 1.06P = 1.06*100 = 106