The given information is:
- The function that represents the sales price at the superstore is:
![g(x)=0.90x](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/college/oxphpv85bwnyf4cs8xoksmi6ad3ufgtit7.png)
- The function that represents the HST owed on a purchase with a selling price of x dollars is:
![f(x)=0.13x](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/college/9xeeukpx2vd2np80u3ggza4i69hw9loxyk.png)
a. The function that represents the HST owed on an item with a price tag of x dollars after it has been beaten by 10% is given by the composite function:
![h(x)=f(g(x))](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/college/kdwcay27jofvlpj1xhfa44hlk4klj0s1m4.png)
So, we replace the x in the f(x) function with the g(x) value, as follows:
![\begin{gathered} f(g(x))=0.13(0.90x) \\ h(x)=0.117x \end{gathered}](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/college/6li5yya2oh7dmuylde5hqjz5tjt3au72hv.png)
The equation is above.
b. How much HST would be charged on a $39.99 purchase if this price is also lowered by 10% first?
Then, by using the equation we found in part a, we replace x by 39.99 and solve:
![\begin{gathered} h(x)=0.117*39.99 \\ h(x)=4.68 \end{gathered}](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/college/8rglazk7bpq5iaw53qyrlgqu5gntddssv5.png)
$4.68 would be charged