Final answer:
To find the sales tax rate, divide the amount of sales tax by the cost before tax. In this case, the sales tax rate is 5%.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the sales tax rate, we need to divide the amount of sales tax by the cost before tax. In this case, the sales tax is $24.50 and the cost before tax is $490. So, the sales tax rate is:
Sales Tax Rate = Amount of Sales Tax / Cost Before Tax
Sales Tax Rate = $24.50 / $490
Sales Tax Rate = 0.05
Therefore, the sales tax rate is 0.05 or 5%.