Question

If a pair of shoes costs $52.50 including a 7.25% tax, what is the original cost of the item before taxes are added?

No other symbols other than the number rounded to the second decimal.

Answer 1

The original cost of the pair of shoes before tax is $48.95

Explanation:

* Lets explain how to solve the problem

- Assume that the cost of the pair of shoes is 100% before taxes

∵ The cost of the pair of shoes is 100% before taxes

∵ The tax is 7.25%

∴ The price of the pair of shoes after tax = 100% + 7.25% = 107.25%

- This 107.25% equivalent to the price of the pair of shoes including

the tax

∵ The cost of the pair of shoes including tax is $52.50

- Lets use the cross multiplication to find the cost of the pair of

shoes before tax

∵ 100% ⇒ 107.25%

? ⇒ 52.50

- ? represents the cost of the pair of shoes before tax

∴ ? =
`(100*52.50)/(107.25)=48.95`

∴ The original cost of the pair of shoes before tax is $48.95