An $80.00 coat is marked down 20%. It does not sell, so the shop owner marks it down an additional 15%. What is the new price of the coat?
Find out 20 percent of the original price of the coat and subtract it from the original price. To ?nd out 20%, multiply through 0.20; $80 × 0.20 = $16. Take $16 off the original price;
$80 - $16 = $64. The ?rst sale price is $64. Take 15% off this using the similar method; $64 × 0.15 = $9.60; $64 - $9.60 = $54.40. The new price of the coat is $54.40. Another way of solving this problem is to look at the percent that is left after the discount has been taken. For instance, if 20% is taken off, 80% is left (100% - 20%). Thus, 80% of the original price is $80 × 0.80 = $64. If 15% is taken off this price, 85% is left; $64 × 0.85 = $54.40. This techniques eliminates the extra step of subtracting.