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Discount Calculator
About the Discount Calculator
Find the sale price and how much you save after a percentage discount, with optional tax added on top.
How to use the Discount Calculator
- Enter the Original Price ($) and the Discount (%).
- Add an Additional Tax (%) if tax applies after the discount.
- Press Calculate Savings to see the discounted price, the amount saved and the final total.
Formula and method
Sale price = Original × (1 − Discount ÷ 100), then Total = Sale price × (1 + Tax ÷ 100).
Worked example
A $120 item at 25% off costs $90, a saving of $30. With 8% tax, the tax is $7.20 and the final total is $97.20.
Successive discounts. A 20% discount followed by a further 10% off the reduced price takes 100 down to 80 and then to 72. That is a total of 28% off, not 30%.
When to use the Discount Calculator
- Finding the sale price after a percentage discount.
- Working out how much you save.
- Comparing two deals with different discounts.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Adding successive discounts. A 20% discount followed by 10% is not 30%; it is 28%.
- Comparing percentages without comparing the original prices.
Tips
- Two successive discounts do not add up: 20% then 10% off equals 28% off in total, not 30%.
- Compare unit prices, not just the discount percentage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Multiply the price by 0.70. For a $50 item, 50 × 0.70 = $35.
In most places tax is charged on the discounted price, but some coupons work differently, so check the receipt.
Multiply the original price by the discount percentage to get the saving, then subtract it from the price.
Divide the sale price by (1 − discount). If a price of 60 has a 25% discount, the original was 60 ÷ 0.75 = 80.