Math Problem Statement

Pam buys the following items: a shirt that costs $11.99, pants that cost $23.98, and a belt that costs $9.95. She has a coupon for 20% off the entire purchase. About how much will the three items cost?

Solution

To solve the problem, let's calculate the total cost of the three items Pam wants to buy before applying the coupon, and then apply the 20% discount to find the final amount.

Step 1: Calculate the total cost before the discount:

  • Shirt: $11.99
  • Pants: $23.98
  • Belt: $9.95

The total cost before the discount is: 11.99+23.98+9.95=45.9211.99 + 23.98 + 9.95 = 45.92

Step 2: Apply the 20% discount:

Pam has a coupon for 20% off, which means she pays 80% of the total price: Discounted cost=45.92×0.80=36.736\text{Discounted cost} = 45.92 \times 0.80 = 36.736 Rounding this to the nearest dollar, the total is approximately $37.

Thus, the correct answer is "About $37."


Would you like further details or have any questions? Here are five related questions:

  1. How do you calculate a percentage discount on any total amount?
  2. What is the meaning of rounding, and why is it applied in this case?
  3. If Pam had a 30% coupon instead, how much would she pay?
  4. How would tax affect the final price if there were a 7% sales tax?
  5. How could you calculate the original price if you only knew the final discounted price and the discount percentage?

Tip: Always remember that applying a percentage discount means multiplying the total by 1 minus the discount percentage (e.g., for 20% off, multiply by 0.80).

Ask a new question for Free

By Image

Drop file here or Click Here to upload

Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Percentage
Multiplication
Discount Calculation
Rounding

Formulas

Total cost = Item1 + Item2 + Item3
Discounted cost = Total cost * (1 - discount percentage)

Theorems

-

Suitable Grade Level

Grades 6-8