Thread: Applications - Percents and Sales Tax

It's the weekend (no access to tutors or professors), and I can't figure out how to do some story problems that I need to understand by Tuesday. These two problems are ones I haven't worked with before, and without being told exactly how to turn it into math I am so lost. Once I get an equation then it's usually smooth sailing.

They go like this:
1) Batman Forever grossed $52.8 million on its opening weekend and had one of the most successful movie launches in history. If Batman Forever accounted for approximately 50% of all box office receipts that weekend, what were the total box office receipts? Round your answer to the nearest tenth of a million dollars.

2) A woman owns a small, cash-only business in a state that requires her to charge 6% sales tax on each item she sells. At the beginning of the day, she has $250 in the cash register. At the end of the day, she has $1,204 in the register. How much money should she send to the state government for the sales tax she collected?

For one, how do I put out 52.8 into expanded form (ouch, something simple, I know.) Second, how do I make them into equations??

Well, that's the part you should be learning!

It will ALWAYS help if you first name things. What does the problem statement want? Name it!!

"what were the total box office receipts"

T = Total box office receipts

"How much money should she send to the state government for the sales tax she collected? "

M = Money for the state.

Now, show us what you get.