If an item costs $450 and sales tax is 8%, what is the total cost?

To determine the total cost of an item including sales tax, you first need to calculate the sales tax amount and then add it to the original price of the item.

In this case, the original cost of the item is $450, and the sales tax rate is 8%.

To calculate the sales tax, multiply the original price by the sales tax rate:

Sales Tax = Original Price × Sales Tax Rate

Sales Tax = $450 × 0.08

Sales Tax = $36

Now, we add the sales tax to the original price to find the total cost:

Total Cost = Original Price + Sales Tax

Total Cost = $450 + $36

Total Cost = $486

Thus, the total cost of the item, including the 8% sales tax, is $486. This calculation clearly supports the total indicated in the selected answer, which reinforces the understanding of how to calculate total expenses when sales tax is applied.