Question

Joey pays $591.25 for a TV set, including a 7.5% sales tax. How much was the TV set before the tax was added?

A) $550
B) $580
C) $600
D) $625

Answer 1

The cost of the TV set before the sales tax was added was approximately $550, obtained by dividing the total amount paid ($591.25) by 1.075, which accounts for the 7.5% sales tax.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the cost of the TV set before the sales tax was added, we need to work backward from the total amount Joey paid, which includes the sales tax. The total amount paid is $591.25, and this includes the original price of the TV plus 7.5% of that original price as the sales tax. We can represent the original price of the TV as x, and the equation to represent this relationship is x + 0.075x = $591.25.

By combining like terms, the equation simplifies to 1.075x = $591.25. To find the value of x, we divide both sides of the equation by 1.075:

x = $591.25 / 1.075
x = $550 (approximately)

Hence, the cost of the TV set before the sales tax was added was approximately $550, which corresponds to option A).