Sales Tax Total
Final price including sales tax.
Formula
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Example
$50 at 8% tax = $54
How it works
This formula finds the final amount you pay after sales tax is added to a pre-tax price. The expression 1 + t combines the original 100% of the price with the extra tax fraction, so multiplying by P scales both parts at once. For example, if the tax rate is 10%, then you pay 110% of the sticker price, which is why the total is greater than the original price.
When to use it
Use this when you know an item’s price before tax and the sales tax rate, and you want the total cost at checkout. It is common for shopping, budgeting, receipts, and comparing prices across regions with different tax rates.
Worked example, step by step
Pre-tax price: P = $32 Tax rate: t = 6.5% = 0.065 Total = P(1 + t) Total = 32(1 + 0.065) Total = 32(1.065) Total = 34.08 Final price = $34.08
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using the tax rate as 6.5 instead of 0.065
- Adding the tax rate to the price instead of multiplying by 1 + t
- Forgetting that the formula gives the full total, not just the tax amount
Did You Know?
Tax is applied after discounts in most jurisdictions.
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