Key takeaways
A 30 % discount means you pay 70 %. Multiplying by the part you keep is faster and less error-prone than subtracting the part you save.
- Pay 100 % minus the discount; multiply the price by that.
- Two discounts in a row do not add up; apply them one after the other.
- To find the discount rate, divide the saving by the original price.
Multiply by what you keep
A jacket costs $120 with 30 % off. You keep 70 %, so the sale price is $120 × 0.70 = $84. Subtracting 30 % of $120 ($36) gives the same answer, but keeping the multiplication to one step avoids mistakes.
Stacked discounts
"30 % off, then an extra 20 % at checkout" is not 50 % off. Apply them in turn: $120 × 0.70 = $84, then $84 × 0.80 = $67.20. That is 44 % off, not 50 %.
From prices to a rate
The jacket now shows $90. The discount is (120 − 90) ÷ 120 × 100 = 25 %.
Quick checks
- Half price is 50 % off; a third off leaves two thirds.
- 10 % off twice is 19 % off, never 20 %.
Related questions
- What is 25 % off $80?
- How do I calculate a discount percentage between two prices?
