Answer to the Math Problem of the Week for February 27, 2014

Question: The cost for an item without tax is $150. With tax, the item costs $163.50. What is the tax percent for the item?

Answer: 9%

Solution: First, we need to find the amount that is the tax amount. To do this, subtract the item total with tax from the original cost of the item. $163.50 – $150 = $13.50. So the tax amount is $13.50. Now we need to find what percent of $150 is $13.50. One way to find the percent is to divide the tax amount by the total amount. $13.50/$150 = 0.09 = 9%. The tax percent for the item is 9%. Another way is to recall that percent means for each hundred. 2/3 of 150 is 100, so if we find 2/3 of 13.50, we will find the percent that is the tax amount. 1/3 of 13.50 is 4.50, so 2/3 of 13.50 is 9, so the tax percent for the item is 9%.