Math Problem of the Week - Middle School - July 11, 2021 to July 17, 2021

Middle School: 

Question: Paulina needs a new uniform for gym class. She buys a tee shirt that costs $12.50, a pair of shorts that cost $20.00, and a pair of sneakers that cost $31.40. A 10% sales tax is applied to her purchase. How much money does Paulina spend on her new gym uniform?

Answer:  $70.29

Solution:   Before tax, the gym uniform costs $12.50 + $20.00 + 31.40 = $63.90. To find the cost after tax, we multiply by 1.1; 1 for the price of the items, and an additional 0.1 for the tax. After tax, the uniform costs $63.90 × 1.1 = $70.29.