Question

The amount of tax for each camera is $5.25 and the tax rate is 6%. Explain how the equation:

(Original Cost)(Percent) = Tax Amount

is adjusted to solve for the original cost.

Answer 1

To solve for the original cost of the camera when you know the tax amount and the tax rate, we can start by using the equation you've provided:

\[
\text{(Original Cost)} \times \text{(Percent)} = \text{Tax Amount}
\]

In this case, the "Percent" refers to the tax rate expressed as a decimal. The tax rate is given as 6%, which can be converted to decimal form by dividing by 100:

\[
\text{Percent} = \frac{6}{100} = 0.06
\]

Now, let's rewrite the equation with the variables we have:

\[
(\text{Original Cost}) \times 0.06 = 5.25
\]

To solve for the original cost, we need to isolate it on one side of the equation. This can be done by dividing both sides of the equation by 0.06:

\[
\text{Original Cost} = \frac{5.25}{0.06}
\]

Now, you can calculate the original cost:

\[
\text{Original Cost} = 87.50
\]

So, the original cost of the camera is $87.50.

In summary, we adjusted the original equation by substituting the tax rate as a decimal and then rearranged it to isolate the original cost by dividing the tax amount by the decimal representation of the tax rate.