Let X = the original price so
  
      

      ($440) = ($X) - (0.12)($X)

         440 = X - 0.12X

Now think of X as 1X and write as 1.00X to make it easy to subtract:

         440 = 1.00X - 0.12X

Combine the like terms on the right, subtracting like this: 1.00X
                                                           -0.12X
                                                            0.88X

         440 = 0.88X

Divide both sides by 0.88

         = 

        500 = X

So the original price was $500.

Edwin