If you pay $2,000 in taxes on an income of $20,000 and $3,000 on an income of $30,000, what type of tax is this considered over that income range?

To classify the tax structure based on the provided income and tax amounts, we need to analyze how the tax payments relate to the income levels. In this case, if an individual pays $2,000 in taxes on a $20,000 income, the effective tax rate is 10% ($2,000 / $20,000). When the income increases to $30,000 and the tax paid rises to $3,000, the effective tax rate becomes 10% as well ($3,000 / $30,000).

A proportional tax applies a constant rate to each income level, meaning that the rate of taxation does not change regardless of how much income is earned. Since the effective tax rate remains constant at 10% across both income levels, this structure is best described as proportional.

In contrast, a progressive tax would imply that as income increases, the tax rate also increases, meaning a higher income would be subject to a higher percentage of tax. A regressive tax system, on the other hand, would mean that the tax rate decreases as income increases, typically placing a heavier burden on lower-income earners. A fixed tax would signify a flat rate that does not change over different income ranges but would not fit well