Percentages • Topic 5 of 8

Discounts

A discount is a percentage decrease off a marked (list) price. The amount saved is discount% × marked price, and the sale price is marked price × (1 − discount%). To find the discount percent from prices, divide the saving by the marked price and multiply by 100. Working with the multiplier (for example × 0.70 for 30% off) is faster than computing the saving separately. Watch the base: the discount always applies to the marked price, and any "extra % off" applies to the already-reduced price, which is a successive-percentage situation.

✅ Solved examples

1. A $60 shirt is 25% off. What is the sale price?
60 × (1 − 0.25) = 60 × 0.75 = $45.
2. A jacket marked $120 is on sale for $90. What is the discount percent?
Saving = 30; 30 ÷ 120 = 0.25 = 25%.
3. How much is saved on a $200 item at 15% off?
0.15 × 200 = $30.
4. A $80 item has 10% off, then an extra 10% off. Final price?
80 × 0.90 × 0.90 = $64.80.

✏️ Practice — try these, take hints as needed

1. A $50 book is 20% off. What is the sale price?
Multiply by 0.80.
50 × 0.8.
Compute.
$40.
2. A $150 item sells for $120. What is the discount percent?
Saving = 30.
30 ÷ 150.
× 100.
20%.
3. How much is saved on a $90 item at 30% off?
Saving = 0.30 × 90.
Compute.
—
$27.
4. A $250 item is 40% off. What is the sale price?
Multiply by 0.60.
250 × 0.6.
Compute.
$150.
5. A $100 item has 25% off then 20% off. Final price?
100 × 0.75 × 0.80.
100 × 0.60.
Compute.
$60.

📝 Topic test — 8 questions

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