PSAT Math Multiple-Choice Question 132: Answer and Explanation

Question: 132

A shoe store is having a sale in which a customer receives a 30 percent discount on a second pair of shoes after purchasing the first at regular price. The tax rate of 6 percent is applied to the whole purchase. If s represents the regular price of each pair of shoes at the store, which of the following expressions gives the total amount that a customer would pay for two pairs during this sale?

• A. 1.06(s + 0.7s)
• B. 1.06(s - 0.3s)
• C. 1.06s + 0.7s
• D. 1.7s + 0.06

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

A

The question asks for an expression for the amount a customer would pay for two pairs of shoes during a sale. Translate the information in Bite-Sized Pieces and eliminate after each piece. The question states that the tax rate of 6 percent is applied to the whole purchase, so everything should be multiplied by 1.06 to reflect the total (1) plus the additional 6 percent (0.06). Eliminate (C), which only has the 1.06 multiplied by one term, and (D), which does not have 1.06 at all. The question also states that the customer receives a 30 percent discount on a second pair of shoes after purchasing the first at regular price, so the price of the second shoe should be added to the first, not subtracted from it. Eliminate (B). The correct answer is (A).