Problem Write-up

The problem you must solve is: Mariam recently purchased a toy slide for her at-home day care center for $82.99. The sales tax rate at the time of purchase was 5.65%.

1. Suppose Mariam had an electronic coupon for 20% off the retail price. What would the Mariam’s total cost be, including sales tax?

2. Now, suppose that Mariam had access to two separate electronic coupons, each for 10% off. The clerk had to apply the first coupon to the actual retail price; then per store policy the clerk had to apply the 10% to the remaining balance before taxes. [Some businesses really do this…and consumers should really appreciate it!]

A. First, estimate, using what you know from #1. What do you think the total cost will be in this scenario? Explain.

B. Now, calculate her total cost, including taxes, and compare it to your result in #1 above. Why are these outcomes the same or different?

3. How do these results compare with the problem you did in the discussion activity? Explain.

The report should be no more than 3 pages.

Keep the following in mind to maximize credit for your write-up:

1. Review the rubric your instructor will use to score your work. (See Evaluation Criteria below).
2. Answer all parts of the problem.
3. Write your solution in your own words. Show your justification for every step in your solution, using clear, mathematically accurate language. You can use phrases to explain your reasoning from step to step, but clearly state your final conclusions using complete English sentences (for example, “Jill needs to add 43 gallons of water to her pool”).
4. Label all numbers with the units they represent (e.g., 0.3048 ft/meter).
5. Type your write-up in MS Word and try to use the Equation Editor so that your equations are clear.
   1. The video How to use Equation Editor in Microsoft Office (Links to an external site.) is a good tutorial. For this course, it is sufficient to watch segments 0:00-5:00 and 9:50-12:00. To cancel units, you can use the MS Word strikethrough feature (circled in blue below). Select what you want to cross out, and then click the strikethrough.
      
      Example:
      
   2. This level of typesetting is also acceptable:
      (28 yards) x 0.9144 meters/ 1 yards = 25.6 meters