Finding and solving the right equation?

[rain6460]

Hello Everyone,

I'm new here and not sure I'm posting this in the right place. Please tell me if this question is better answered elsewhere!

I made a purchase of $4,000
The sales tax rate was 8.75%, or $350

If I only knew the sales tax rate (.0875) and the amount of sales tax ($350), is it possible to figure out what the purchase price was?

If so, what would this equation(s) look like?

 

[MarkFL]

Hello, and welcome to FMH!

We could ask the question:

$350 is 8.75% of what amount?

Translating that to an equation, we obtain:

[MATH]350=0.0875x[/MATH]
Or:

[MATH]x=\frac{350}{0.0875}=4000[/MATH]

 

[rain6460]

Thank you Mark!
It's been a long time since my backside sat in Algebra class...almost 40 years, Yikes! Still, shame on me for not remembering how to solve this most basic of problems. Think I'm going to run this one by my two high schoolers. They're always telling me how much more they know than me Thanks again Mark.

Jeff