3.5.PS-15
Question Help
Reasoning Kareem cannot decide which of two washing machines to buy. The selling price of each is $480. The first is
marked down by 50%. The second is marked down by 30% with an additional 20% off. Find the sale price of each washing
machine. Use pencil and paper. Explain why Kareem should buy the first washing machine rather than the second if the
machines are the same except for the selling price.
The sale price of the first washing machine is $
(Round to the nearest dollar as needed.)

Two washing machines are offered at $480, with one marked down 50% and the other marked down 30% and another 20% off. You want to know why the first machine has a better price, and what that price is.

First machine

The price after a 50% markdown is ...

$480 × (1 -50%) = $480 × 0.50 = $240 . . . first machine sale price

Second machine

The price after a 30% markdown is ...

$480 × (1 -30%) = $480 × 0.70

After the additional 20% markdown, the price is ...

($480×0.70) × (1 -20%) = $480 × 0.70 × 0.80

= $480 × 0.56 ≈ $269

Better deal

The first machine is a better deal, because The 50% markdown is off the original price.

The 30% markdown on the second machine is off the original price, but the additional 20% is off the reduced price. Hence the total markdown is not as great as on the first machine.