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Successive Discount Formula and Examples

When a shop offers 'Two Successive Discounts of 10% and 20%', many students wrongly add them to get 30%. This is incorrect! A successive discount means you apply one discount on the reduced price, not the original price.

Question (Click to Flip)

What is the formula for successive discount?

Answer

The single equivalent discount for two successive discounts x% and y% is: x + y โˆ’ (xy/100)%.

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Key Facts

Formula: Equivalent Single Discount = x + y โˆ’ xy/100.

Key Rule: Successive discounts are NEVER simply added together.

Real World: Used in trading, wholesale, and retail discounts.

The Formula for Equivalent Single Discount

If two successive discounts are x% and y%, the equivalent single discount is:

Equivalent Discount = x + y โˆ’ (xy/100) %

Example: Successive discounts of 10% and 20%: = 10 + 20 โˆ’ (10ร—20/100) = 30 โˆ’ 2 = 28% (not 30%!)

Solving Step by Step

If the Marked Price = โ‚น1000, with successive discounts of 10% and 20%:

  1. After 10% discount: 1000 โˆ’ 100 = โ‚น900
  2. After 20% discount on โ‚น900: 900 โˆ’ 180 = โ‚น720 Total discount = 1000 โˆ’ 720 = โ‚น280 = 28% of 1000. โœ“

Three Successive Discounts

For three successive discounts x, y, z: first compute the equivalent of x and y, then compute that result's equivalent with z.

Questions and Answers

What is the formula for successive discount?+

The single equivalent discount for two successive discounts x% and y% is: x + y โˆ’ (xy/100)%.

Are two 10% discounts the same as one 20% discount?+

No. Two successive discounts of 10% give an equivalent single discount of 10 + 10 โˆ’ (10ร—10/100) = 19%, not 20%.

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