Final answer:
To find out how much tax Aisha will pay, multiply the price of the surfboard ($74.20) by 10% (converted to a decimal, which is 0.10), resulting in $7.42 in sales tax.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine the sales tax on a purchase, such as Aisha's surfboard priced at $74.20 with a 10% sales tax, the process involves converting the percentage to a decimal. In this case, 10% is represented as 0.10 in decimal form. Multiplying the product's price by this decimal yields the sales tax amount: $74.20 × 0.10 = $7.42. Thus, Aisha will pay $7.42 in sales tax for the surfboard.
This approach is applicable to various scenarios, as illustrated with Emily's jacket purchase. If Emily buys a jacket for $85 with a 7.5% sales tax, converting 7.5% to a decimal (0.075) and then multiplying it by the jacket's cost reveals the tax amount: $85 × 0.075 = $6.375. This consistent method allows for the calculation of sales tax for any purchase by adjusting the percentage to a decimal and applying it to the item's price.