An emerald ring purchased for $2268. The price already includes a sales tax of 8%. Find the price of the ring before tax.

Answer 1

The total cost of $2268 includes the original cost of the ring plus 8% of the original cost of the ring. We don't know the original cost of the ring, so let's call it C. Rephrasing what I just wrote as an algebraic equation, we have:

$2268 = C + 8% * C

Since 8% is just shorthand for 8/100 or 0.08, we can rewrite it as:

$2268 = C + 0.08 * C

Now C is the same as 1 * C, and since we are adding two terms that have a common factor of C, we can factor out the C as:

$2268 = C(1 + 0.08) = C * 1.08

Lastly, we divide both sides of the equation by 1.08 to solve for C:

$2268/1.08 = C

Solved:

$2100 = C

Thus, the original cost of the ring before sales tax is $2100.

Answer 2

An emerald ring purchased for $2268. The price already includes a sales tax of 8%. Find the price of the ring before tax.

x + .08x = 2268 

1.08x = 2268

x = 2268 / 1.08

x = 2100