From the grocery store you need to purchase 1/2 lb cheese, 2 lbs sliced ham, 2 loaves of bread, 3 bags of potato chips, and 2 containers of salsa. You have a coupon for $3.00 off if your purchase totals more than $25.00 or 10% off if the total is more than $30.00. The food sales tax is 4%. What is your total purchase?

Question

Item Cost
Cheese $2.99/ lb
Sliced Ham $4.29/ lb
Bread $2.49/ loaf
Potato Chips $1.99/ ea OR 2 for $3.00
Salsa $3.39/ container

Be sure to include in your response:
• The steps you followed to complete your computations.
• The choice you made regarding which discount to use.
• The total cost of your purchases.

Answer 1

To calculate the total cost of the items purchased, let's follow these steps:

Step 1: Calculate the cost of each item

1. Cheese: \[ \text{Cost} = 0.5 , \text{lb} \times 2.99 , \text{per lb} = 1.495 \approx 1.50 , \text{(rounded)} \]

2. Sliced Ham: \[ \text{Cost} = 2 , \text{lbs} \times 4.29 , \text{per lb} = 8.58 \]

3. Bread: \[ \text{Cost} = 2 , \text{loaves} \times 2.49 , \text{per loaf} = 4.98 \]

4. Potato Chips:

   • The price for 2 bags is $3.00 (which is cheaper than buying individually at $1.99 each). \[ \text{Cost} = 3.00 , \text{(for 2 bags)} \]

5. Salsa: \[ \text{Cost} = 2 , \text{containers} \times 3.39 , \text{per container} = 6.78 \]

Step 2: Sum the costs

Combine the costs of all items: \[ \text{Total Cost} = 1.50 + 8.58 + 4.98 + 3.00 + 6.78 \]

Calculate: \[ 1.50 + 8.58 = 10.08 \] \[ 10.08 + 4.98 = 15.06 \] \[ 15.06 + 3.00 = 18.06 \] \[ 18.06 + 6.78 = 24.84 \]

So, the subtotal before tax is: \[ \text{Subtotal} = 24.84 \]

Step 3: Calculate tax

Now calculate the sales tax (4%): \[ \text{Tax} = 0.04 \times 24.84 = 0.9936 \approx 0.99 , \text{(rounded)} \]

Step 4: Adding tax to the subtotal

Now add the tax to the subtotal: \[ \text{Total with Tax} = 24.84 + 0.99 = 25.83 \]

Step 5: Apply the discount

Since the total before tax was $24.84, we check the discounts:

• The $3.00 off coupon is applicable because the total is greater than $25.00.
• The 10% discount is not applicable as the total does not exceed $30.00.

Applying the $3.00 discount: \[ \text{Total after Discount} = 25.83 - 3.00 = 22.83 \]

Final Answer

The total cost of your purchases after tax and discount is: \[ \text{Total Cost} = \text{$22.83} \]

In summary:

• Calculated individual item costs.
• Summed them for a subtotal of \( $24.84 \).
• Added sales tax resulting in \( $25.83 \).
• Applied the \( $3.00 \) discount.
• The final total is \( $22.83 \).