Step by step
The question
Question: A pair of shoes costs $60.
They are 15% off.
What is the sale price?
1 Find the discount
Percent means out of 100.
So 15% is 15 divided by 100: 0.15.
The point moves 2 places to the left.
15% = 15 ÷ 100 = 0.15
The discount is 15% of $60.
"Of" means times: 0.15 times $60.
That is $9.
discount = 0.15 × $60 = $9
To multiply decimals: first 15 times 60, as whole numbers.
That is 900.
Then count the decimal places: 2.
So it is 9.00.
15 × 60 = 900
2 decimal places: 9.00
Careful!
The discount is the money we save.
We still pay the rest.
Careful: $9 is what we save, not what we pay
2 Take it off
A discount comes off the price.
$60 minus $9 is $51.
sale price = $60 − $9 = $51
So the sale price is $51.
3 Check
Let's check another way: we pay 100% minus 15%: 85% of the price.
0.85 times $60 is $51.
The same.
So the answer is right!
100% − 15% = 85%: 0.85 × $60 = $51
Let's look back.
First: find the discount.
Then: take it off.
Last: check.
Answer
sale price = $60 − $9 = $51