1. **Stating the problem:** Calculate the total cost of a meal that costs 159.50 with an added 10% service charge. 2. **Formula used:** Total cost = Original cost + Service charge Service charge = 10% of the original cost 3. **Calculate the service charge:** $$\text{Service charge} = 0.10 \times 159.50 = 15.95$$ 4. **Calculate the total cost:** $$\text{Total cost} = 159.50 + 15.95 = 175.45$$ 5. **Explanation:** We first find 10% of the meal cost by multiplying 159.50 by 0.10. Then, we add this amount to the original cost to get the total amount to be paid. **Final answer:** The total cost including the 10% service charge is **175.45**.