Question 936262
let x represent the original price of the dress.


it goes on sale for 25% off the original price.


if you're taking off 25%, then what you are left with is 75%.


the sale price is therefore 75% of x which is equal to .75 * x


the next day it drops 20% from 75% of x.


if you're taking off 20%, then what you are left with is 80%.


the sale price is therefore 80% of 75% of x which is equal to .8 * .75 * x.


simplify .8 * .75 * x to get .6 * x which is equal to 60% of x.


the next day it drops another 25%.


if you take off 25%, then you are left with 75%.


the sale price is therefore 75% of 60% of x which is equal to .75 * .6 * x.


simplify .75 * .6 * x to get .45 * x which is equal to 45% of x.


the final price is equal to 27 dollars, so you get:


45% of x is equal to 27 dollars which becomes:


.45 * x = 27


divide both sides of this equation by .45 to get:


x = 27/.45 which becomes:


x = 60 dollars.


the original price of the dress was 60 dollars.


25% of 60 = 15 dollars.
take 15 dollars off of 60 and you get the new sale price of 45 dollars.


20% of 45 = 9 dollars
take 9 dollars off of 45 dollars and you get the new sale price of 36 dollars.


25% of 36 dollars = 9 dollars.
take 9 dollars off of 36 dollars and you get the final sale price of 27 dollars.


numbers check out so you're good.