Final answer:
Amanda can purchase 8 gallons of paint and 2 pints of paint thinner for a pre-tax total of $144.34, which is within her budget of $150.
Step-by-step explanation:
To write an expression representing the total amount Amanda spent before sales tax, we use the price per gallon and per pint along with the quantities purchased. Amanda bought g gallons of paint at $16.55 per gallon and t pints of paint thinner at $5.97 per pint. The expression for the total cost before tax is:
Total cost before tax = (16.55 × g) + (5.97 × t)
If Amanda bought 8 gallons of paint, we substitute g with 8.
Total cost for paint = 16.55 × 8 = $132.40
For 2 pints of paint thinner, we substitute t with 2:
Total cost for paint thinner = 5.97 × 2 = $11.94
The combined total before tax is:
Total = $132.40 + $11.94 = $144.34
Before considering if Amanda has enough for both purchases, we check that this amount is within her budget of $150.
Since $144.34 is less than $150, Amanda has enough to purchase 8 gallons of paint and 2 pints of paint thinner before tax. We do not need to calculate the additional 10% sales tax as the question only asks about the pre-tax total with her budget.