Discount in Percentage

Discounts are a common concept in shopping and sales, and they help shoppers purchase goods at a lower price than the regular price. To understand this in depth, let's learn what discounts are and how we use percentages to describe them. This explanation will cover what percentage discounts mean, how to calculate them, and examples for better understanding.

What is the discount?

A discount is a reduction in the price of a product or service. It is often used by sellers to attract customers by allowing them to pay less than the normal price.

Discounts can be offered in a number of ways, including:

• Percentage discount: A fraction of the price is reduced. For example, 20% discount means a 20% reduction in the price.
• Fixed amount discount: A specific amount is subtracted from the price.
• Buy one, get one free: A form of discount where the purchase of one product results in an additional product being free.

Understanding percentages

A percentage is a way of expressing a number as a fraction of 100. It is represented by the "%" sign. For example, 50% means 50 out of 100, or half of something.

We can look at it as follows:

In this figure, the line represents perfect or 100%. The red circle represents the midpoint at 50%.

Calculating discount in percentage

You can use the following formula to calculate the discount amount in percentage:

Discount amount = (Discount percentage / 100) * Original price

Once you have the discount amount, you can find the discounted price, which is the price after the discount is applied:

Discounted price = Original price – Discount amount

Example 1: Basic calculation

Let’s say you want to buy a shirt that’s $50 and it’s 20% off.

    Discount amount = (20 / 100) * 50
                    = 0.20 * 50
                    = $10
    

    Discounted price = 50 – 10 = $40
    

Example 2: Using different discount percentages

Scenario: A pair of jeans costs $80, but the store is offering 15% off.

    Discount amount = (15 / 100) * 80
                    = 0.15 * 80
                    = $12
    

    Discounted price = 80 – 12 = $68
    

Visual representation

To look at discounts, think of the original price as a percentage. For a 20% discount, this means you only pay 80% of the original price.

Practice problems

1. The original price of a book is $30, and it is sold at a discount of 10%. Calculate the final price of the book.
2. You want to buy a game worth $60 that has a 30% holiday discount. What is the new price?
3. A pair of sneakers costs $100 and is 25% off. How much would you pay for the sneakers?

Solution:

1. Original Price: $30
   Discount: 10%
   

           Discount amount = (10/100) * 30 = $3
           Discounted price = 30 – 3 = $27
           

   The final price of the book is $27.
2. Original Price: $60
   Discount: 30%
   

           Discount amount = (30/100) * 60 = $18
           Discounted price = 60 – 18 = $42
           

   The new price of the game is $42.
3. Original Price: $100
   Discount: 25%
   

           Discount amount = (25/100) * 100 = $25
           Discounted price = 100 – 25 = $75
           

   You will have to pay $75 for the sneakers.

Key points to remember

• Percentage represents a fraction out of 100.
• To find the discount amount, multiply the discount percentage with the original price and divide by 100.
• Subtract the discount amount from the original price to get the discounted price.
• Understanding discounts helps in making wise purchasing decisions.

Being able to calculate discounts not only helps save money but also helps you be a smart shopper. Always check if discounts are applicable before you make a purchase so you can get the best deal!

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