Final answer:
To determine the sales tax on a $398.50 computer purchase with a 7.25% rate, first convert the percentage to a decimal (0.0725) and then multiply by the subtotal for a tax amount of $28.89. Therefore, the total cost equals $427.39.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the sales tax for the computer purchase, you will first need to convert the sales tax rate from a percentage to a decimal. To do this, divide the tax rate by 100. In this case, 7.25% becomes 0.0725 when converted to decimal form. Next, multiply the decimal sales tax rate by the subtotal of your purchase to find the amount of sales tax you'll need to pay.
Here is the calculation for the computer purchase:
Total before tax: $398.50
Sales tax rate: 7.25%
Sales tax rate as a decimal: 0.0725
Sales tax amount: $398.50 × 0.0725
To calculate the sales tax amount:
$398.50 × 0.0725 = $28.88625
Since we typically round tax amounts to the nearest cent, the sales tax you will pay is $28.89.
So, the total amount you would pay, including sales tax, for the computer is:
Total cost = Subtotal + Sales Tax
$398.50 + $28.89 = $427.39