Final answer:
To find Shardell's portion of the party expenses, we add up the costs of catering, venue, and DJ, calculate the 9% tax on the total, and then divide the final amount including tax by two. Shardell's share comes to $517.75.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks us to calculate Shardell's portion of the total cost for hosting a party, including catering, venue, DJ, and state tax. First, we need to calculate the total cost before tax by adding the catering bill, the venue bill, and the DJ cost. Then, we calculate the tax amount by finding 9% of the total cost. We add the tax to the total cost to find the final amount. Since Shardell is splitting the cost in half, we divide the final amount by two to find Shardell's portion.
Here is the step-by-step calculation:
Add the initial costs: $325 (catering) + $250 (venue) + $375 (DJ) = $950 (total before tax).
Calculate the tax: 9% of $950 = 0.09 Ă— $950 = $85.50.
Add the tax to the total cost: $950 + $85.50 = $1,035.50 (final amount).
Calculate Shardell's portion: $1,035.50 / 2 = $517.75
So, Shardell's portion of the total cost, including the state tax, will be $517.75.