Ever walked into a store during a sale and wondered, “How much will this cost after the discount?” Don’t worry! Learning how to calculate discounts and sales percentages is super easy—and it can save you money and time. In this guide, you’ll learn how to do the math fast, with or without a calculator. In just a minute, you will be through solving it.
What Is a Discount?
A discount is a reduction in the original price of an item. It’s usually given as a percentage (%). For example, a 20% discount means you’ll pay 20% less than the original price of the item.
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Basic Discount Formula
To calculate a discount, check this formular below:
- Discount = (Discount % ÷ 100) × Original Price
Then to find the final price:
- Final Price = Original Price – Discount
Example 1:
You see a shirt that costs $50 with a 20% discount.
Step 1:
20 ÷ 100 = 0.20
Step 2:
0.20 × $50 = $10 discount
Step 3:
$50 − $10 = $40
You pay $40
Quick Shortcut for solving 10%, 20%, 50%
- 10% of any number: Just move the decimal one place to the left
- 10% of 80 = 8
- 20%: Double the 10%
- 20% of 80 = 8 × 2 = 16
- 50%: Just divide by 2
- 50% of 80 = 40
Example 2: Multiple Discounts
What if there’s a 30% discount + extra 10% off at checkout?
Original price = $100
First discount:
30% of $100 = $30 → $100 − $30 = $70
Second discount:
10% of $70 = $7 → $70 − $7 = $63
Final price = $63
Note: Apply each discount one at a time, not together.
How to Calculate the Sale Price Fast up head (No Calculator)
If you’re in a hurry:
- Find 10% of the price
- Multiply that number based on the discount
- For 30%, do 10% × 3
- Subtract that from the original price
For example:
30% off $60
- 10% of $60 = $6
- 30% = 6 × 3 = $18
- Final price = $60 − $18 = $42
When Using Your Phone Calculator
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You can also do this:
Multiply the original price by the percentage you keep.
For example:
25% off = You pay 75%, or 0.75
- $120 × 0.75 = $90
This method is fast and efficient.
Conclusion
Knowing how to calculate discounts and sales percentages helps you shop smart, save money, and make quick decisions. Whether you’re buying groceries, clothes, or electronics, this math trick is always useful. Through these examples, you can even calculate them without using phone or calculator.
Practice a few examples, and soon you’ll be calculating discounts faster than the cashier!