Old Man Yells At Cloud

[Grant Edwards]

On 2017-09-19, Larry Martell <larry.martell at gmail.com> wrote:

> I was just in a clothing store this weekend and there was a rack of
> clothes that was 50%. The sales clerk said everything on that rack was
> an additional 25% off, so it's 75% off the original price. I asked is
> it 75% off the original price or 25% off the 50% of the price. Said
> it's the same thing. I said no it's not. She insisted it was. I said
> no, let's take a simple example. If it was $100 and it was 75% off it
> would be $25. But if it's 50% off and then 25% off that it will be
> $37.50. She looked totally dumbfounded.

Years ago I remember hearing some retail workers (at J. C. Pennys)
explain that when applying multiple discounts, you always apply the
largest percentage discount first and smallest discount last.  "That
way you get the lowest price."

Technically, you _do_ get the lowest price that way.  (But you also
get the lowest price applying them in any other order.)

A simple experiment would show that it doesn't matter, but none of the
ever thought to try it.

-- 
Grant Edwards               grant.b.edwards        Yow! Send your questions to
                                  at               ``ASK ZIPPY'', Box 40474,
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