Question

FAX machine purchased for 464.40 including tax.
Tax rate is 8%.
What is original price?

Is the answer 427.25?

Text book purchased for 158.60 including tax.
Tax rate is 9%
What is the original price?

Is the answer 412.98?

Answer 1

For #1, let x = the original price. Then the tax is 0.08x. Adding them together gives the total price of $464.40, so
x+0.08x = 464.40
solve for x. I get $430.00. Check my work. Checking it:
430.00 + 0.08*430 = 430.00 + 34.40 = 464.40.

#2 is worked the same way but I will let you do that. You should guess that your answer is not correct BECAUSE your original price is GREATER than the original price including the 9% tax. You can't add 9% of a number to that number and get a smaller number.