SOLUTION: Please help me setting this equation correctly. Highly appreciated. A woman buys three pairs of jeans for $99.84, including tax. If each pair of jeans cost $32, what was the sales

Algebra ->  Percentages: Solvers, Trainers, Word Problems and pie charts -> SOLUTION: Please help me setting this equation correctly. Highly appreciated. A woman buys three pairs of jeans for $99.84, including tax. If each pair of jeans cost $32, what was the sales      Log On


   

Question 147212: Please help me setting this equation correctly. Highly appreciated.
A woman buys three pairs of jeans for $99.84, including tax. If each pair of jeans cost $32, what was the sales tax rate?
x= sales tax rate
x= 99.84-32(3)
x= 99.84-96
x= 3.84 % ????
Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Found 2 solutions by jim_thompson5910, mangopeeler07:
Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let t=sales tax


If she bought one item at $32, then the total cost is c=32%2B32t


3c=3%2832%2B32t%29 Multiply both sides by 3 (since she bought 3 pairs)


99.84=3%2832%2B32t%29 Replace 3c with the given total cost.


99.84=96%2B96t Distribute.


3.84=96t Subtract 96 from both sides.


0.04=t Divide both sides by 96 to isolate t


So the answer is t=0.04 which means that the sales tax is 4%

Answer by mangopeeler07(462) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
First, since you know the cost of one pair of jeans to be 32, then do 32x3. You should get 96. Then do the cost of jeans with the tax-the cost of jeans without the tax. 99.84-96, and get 3.84. You got up to this step very well. Good job. Now the rest is simple. All you have to do is put that (3.84) over the cost of the jeans without tax (96) and divide. 3.84/96=0.04. Move the decimal over to the right twice to get the percentage. Sales tax= 4%.