If a pair of shoes costs $52.50 including a 7.25% tax, what is the original cost of the item before taxes are added?
no other symbols other than the number rounded to the second decimal.

The original cost of the pair of shoes before tax is $48.95

Step-by-step explanation:

* Lets explain how to solve the problem

- Assume that the cost of the pair of shoes is 100% before taxes

∵ The cost of the pair of shoes is 100% before taxes

∵ The tax is 7.25%

∴ The price of the pair of shoes after tax = 100% + 7.25% = 107.25%

- This 107.25% equivalent to the price of the pair of shoes including

  the tax

∵ The cost of the pair of shoes including tax is $52.50

- Lets use the cross multiplication to find the cost of the pair of

 shoes before  tax

∵     100%  ⇒  107.25%

         ?       ⇒  52.50

- ? represents the cost of the pair of shoes before tax

∴ ? =

∴ The original cost of the pair of shoes before tax is $48.95

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step-by-step explanation: