A store has clearance items that have been marked down by 50%. They are having a sale, advertising an additional 20% off clearance items. What percent of the original price do you end up paying?

2 Answers
Apr 17, 2018

60% discount given in total, so only 40% is paid.

Explanation:

So here we need to make a two-step changing factor.
This means that we first take 0.5 (something decreasing by 50%) times 0.8 (something decreased by 20%) which is 0.4 (something decreased by 60%). But better looking:

0.5xx0.8=0.4

Now that we have that, we know that we in total get 60 percent off the original price. You can even try this. Let's say we have a shirt that originally costs 20 dollars, then it's 50 percent off so it costs 10 dollars. then 20% off 10 dollars is $8

Or with maths:

20xx0.5xx0.8=8

Now try that with our value we got which is 0.4.

20xx0.4=8

Now we know that the total percentage off has to be 60%.

I know it can be confusing that 0.4 in this case means something which is decreased by 60% you will work with these stuff when you are working with the changing factor.

100% -60% = 40%

Hope this helps

Apr 19, 2018

40% of the original price is paid.

Explanation:

If a discount of 50% is given, it means that the price is then 50% of what it was.

100%-50% =50%

Another 20% of the 50% is given as discount. So 80% is left.

100%-20% = 80%

Find 80% of 50%

80/100 xx 50/100 = 40/100 = 40%

40% of the original price is all that is paid,