Step 1 :Understand the problem: Heather wants to buy an item that costs $17. The sales tax in her area is 6.6%. We need to find out the total purchase price including the sales tax.
Step 2 :Calculate the sales tax: The sales tax can be calculated by multiplying the cost of the item by the sales tax rate. \(\text{Sales tax} = \text{Cost of the item} \times \text{Sales tax rate} = \$17 \times \frac{6.6}{100} = \$1.122\)
Step 3 :Calculate the total purchase price: The total purchase price is the sum of the cost of the item and the sales tax. \(\text{Total purchase price} = \text{Cost of the item} + \text{Sales tax} = \$17 + \$1.122 = \$18.122\)
Step 4 :Round to the nearest cent: The total purchase price rounded to the nearest cent is \$18.12.
Step 5 :Check the result: The total purchase price of \$18.12 includes the cost of the item and the sales tax, so it meets the requirements of the problem.
Step 6 :\(\boxed{\text{So, the total purchase price that Heather would be charged on this purchase is \$18.12.}}\)