Taxpayers with an office in their home may deduct a percentage of their home-related expenses. This percentage is based on the ratio of the office's area to the area of the home. A taxpayer with a 2300-square-foot home maintains a 10-foot by 12-foot office. If the yearly electricity bills for the home come to $4900, how much of this is deductible? How much money is deductible from the bill? (Round to the nearest cent as needed)

To determine how much of the electricity bill is deductible for the home office, follow these steps:

1. **Calculate the area of the home office:**

   The office is 10 feet by 12 feet.
   \[
   \text{Area of the office} = 10 \, \text{ft} \times 12 \, \text{ft} = 120 \, \text{ft}^2
   \]

2. **Calculate the total area of the home:**
   \[
   \text{Total area of the home} = 2300 \, \text{ft}^2
   \]

3. **Determine the percentage of the home used for the office:**

   The percentage of the home used for the office is the ratio of the office area to the total area of the home.
   \[
   \text{Percentage} = \left( \frac{\text{Area of the office}}{\text{Total area of the home}} \right) \times 100 = \left( \frac{120}{2300} \right) \times 100
   \]
   Calculate the ratio:
   \[
   \frac{120}{2300} \approx 0.05217
   \]
   Convert this to a percentage:
   \[
   0.05217 \times 100 \approx 5.217\%
   \]

4. **Calculate the deductible portion of the electricity bill:**

   The total yearly electricity bill is $4900.
   The deductible portion is:
   \[
   \text{Deductible amount} = \frac{5.217}{100} \times 4900 \approx 0.05217 \times 4900
   \]
   \[
   \approx 255.433
   \]

5. **Round to the nearest cent:**

   \[
   255.433 \approx 255.43
   \]

Thus, the amount of the electricity bill that is deductible is $ \boxed{255.43} $ dollars.

Would you like more details or have any questions?

Here are some questions you might ask:
1. How do I calculate the area of a room?
2. How can I find the percentage of one number relative to another?
3. What other home-related expenses can be deducted for a home office?
4. How does rounding to the nearest cent work?
5. Are there any limits on the deductible amount for home office expenses?

**Tip:** Always keep detailed records of your home office expenses and the calculations you use to determine your deductions, as this can be helpful in case of an audit.

Learn how to calculate deductible home office expenses based on electricity bills. Understand the ratio and proportion concepts involved in determining the deductible portion of the bill. Suitable for individuals managing home office deductions.

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