Final answer:
To find the cost before tax, subtract the amount of tax from the total bill. Convert the tax rate from a percentage to a decimal by dividing it by 100. Multiply the total bill by the tax rate decimal to find the amount of tax. Subtract that tax amount from the total bill to find the cost before tax.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the cost before tax, you need to subtract the amount of tax from the total bill. First, convert the tax rate from a percentage to a decimal by dividing it by 100. In this case, the tax rate is 93%, so the decimal equivalent is 0.93. Next, multiply the total bill by the tax rate decimal to find the amount of tax. Subtract that tax amount from the total bill to find the cost before tax.
Tax amount = Total bill * Tax rate decimal = $87.74 * 0.93 = $81.50982.
Cost before tax = Total bill - Tax amount = $87.74 - $81.50982 = $6.23018.