BusinessEspanol1 min de lecturaActualizado 1 abr 2026

How to Calculate a Discount and Markdown

A business and consumer guide to accurately calculating product discounts, original prices, and markdown percentages.

Puntos Clave

A discount is a pricing reduction expressed commonly as a percentage off.
The sale price is calculated by subtracting the discount amount from the original price.
To verify a discount percentage, divide the savings by the original price and multiply by 100.
You can easily reverse engineer an original price from a sale item.

The Math Behind Sales and Discounts

Calculating a discount is a practical application of percentage calculation. If a store offers 20% off a $50 shirt, they are reducing the price by 20/100 of the original amount. The discount amount is $10, making the final sale price $40.

Calculating the Final Sale Price

There are two ways to find a sale price. The two-step method: Calculate the discount amount, then subtract it from the original price. The faster, one-step method: Convert the discount to a decimal, subtract it from 1, and multiply by the old price. (e.g., 20% off $50 -> 50 * 0.80 = 40).

Finding the Original Price

If you know an item costs $40 after a 20% discount, how much was it originally? Since $40 represents 80% of the original cost, you divide the sale price by 0.80. The original price is $40 / 0.80 = $50.

Markdown in Business

While consumers look at discounts, retailers look at markdowns. A markdown is a devaluation of inventory. Tracking total markdown percentages helps retailers understand profit margins and optimize inventory clearance strategies.