Step by step
The question
Question: A game costs $24.
The sales tax is 6.5%.
What is the total cost?
1 Find the tax
Percent means out of 100.
So 6.5% is 6.5 divided by 100: 0.065.
The point moves 2 places to the left.
6.5% = 6.5 ÷ 100 = 0.065
The tax is 6.5% of $24.
"Of" means times: 0.065 times $24.
That is $1.56.
tax = 0.065 × $24 = $1.56
To multiply decimals: first 65 times 24, as whole numbers.
That is 1560.
Then count the decimal places: 3.
So it is 1.560.
65 × 24 = 1560
3 decimal places: 1.560
Careful!
6.5% is not $6.50.
It is 6.5% of the price.
Careful: not $24 + $6.50 = $30.50 ✗
2 Add it on
The tax is added to the price.
$24 plus $1.56 is $25.56.
total = $24 + $1.56 = $25.56
So the total is $25.56.
3 Check
Let's check another way: we pay 100% plus 6.5%: 106.5% of the price.
1.065 times $24 is $25.56.
The same.
So the answer is right!
100% + 6.5% = 106.5%: 1.065 × $24 = $25.56
Let's look back.
First: find the tax.
Then: add it on.
Last: check.
Answer
total = $24 + $1.56 = $25.56