To find the net cost equivalent for a series of discounts like 5/5/40/10, we apply each discount consecutively to the original price.

1. Start with 100% (or 1.00 as the full price).
2. Apply the first discount of 5%:
   $\text{Remaining} = 1 - 0.05 = 0.95$
3. Apply the second discount of 5%:
   $\text{Remaining} = 0.95 \times (1 - 0.05) = 0.95 \times 0.95 = 0.9025$
4. Apply the third discount of 40%:
   $\text{Remaining} = 0.9025 \times (1 - 0.40) = 0.9025 \times 0.60 = 0.5415$
5. Apply the fourth discount of 10%:
   $\text{Remaining} = 0.5415 \times (1 - 0.10) = 0.5415 \times 0.90 = 0.48735$

Thus, the net cost equivalent is 0.48735.

Correct answer:

C. 0.48735

Would you like more details or have any questions?

Here are 5 related questions:

1. How do you apply consecutive discounts step by step?
2. What is the formula for calculating multiple discounts?
3. Can you convert a percentage discount into a decimal form?
4. How would the final price change if the order of discounts were different?
5. How do compound discounts differ from a single equivalent discount?

Tip: Always apply larger discounts later to get the most accurate reduction on a smaller remaining amount.