Discount formula
Final price = Original price × (1 − Discount % ÷ 100)
- You save = Original price − Final price
Example: a ₹2,000 shirt at 30% off → 2,000 × 0.70 = ₹1,400. You save ₹600.
Stacked discounts are not added up
Offers like “50% off + extra 20% off” apply one after the other. The second discount is taken on the already-reduced price, so the total is less than the two added together:
Final price = Price × (1 − d₁ ÷ 100) × (1 − d₂ ÷ 100)
On ₹2,000: 50% off gives ₹1,000, then 20% off ₹1,000 gives ₹800. The total discount is 60%, not 70%.
| Offer | Looks like | Actual discount |
|---|---|---|
| 50% + 20% | 70% | 60% |
| 40% + 10% | 50% | 46% |
| 30% + 30% | 60% | 51% |
| Buy 1 Get 1 free | 100% | 50% (on two items) |
| Buy 2 Get 1 free | — | 33.3% (on three items) |
Finding the discount percentage
Discount % = (Original price − Sale price) ÷ Original price × 100
Example: MRP ₹2,000, you pay ₹1,200 → (2,000 − 1,200) ÷ 2,000 × 100 = 40% off. Switch the calculator to “Discount %” to do this.
Smart shopping tips
- Check the MRP history — some sellers raise the MRP before a sale so the discount looks bigger.
- Compare the final price, not the percentage, across shops.
- Bank offers are usually capped (for example, 10% up to ₹1,500), so on expensive items the real discount is smaller than it sounds.
- GST is included in the MRP for consumer goods in India, so the sale price is what you pay.
Finding the original price
Original price = Sale price ÷ (1 − Discount % ÷ 100)
Example: you paid ₹1,400 after 30% off. The original price was 1,400 ÷ 0.70 = ₹2,000. Simply adding 30% to ₹1,400 (₹1,820) would be wrong, because the discount was taken on the higher price.
Discount and GST
For goods sold to consumers in India, the MRP includes GST, so the discounted price is what you pay. For business invoices, GST is charged on the discounted value when the discount is shown on the invoice — a ₹10,000 item at 10% off with 18% GST costs 9,000 + 1,620 = ₹10,620.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate a discount?
Multiply the price by the discount percentage and divide by 100 to get the saving; subtract it from the price. 25% off ₹1,600 = ₹400 off, so you pay ₹1,200.
Is 50% + 20% off the same as 70% off?
No. The 20% applies to the already-halved price, so the total discount is 60%. ₹1,000 becomes ₹500, then ₹400.
How do I find the discount percentage from the sale price?
(Original price − sale price) ÷ original price × 100. ₹1,200 instead of ₹2,000 is a 40% discount.
How do I find the original price before a discount?
Divide the sale price by (1 − discount ÷ 100). If ₹1,400 is after 30% off, the original price is 1,400 ÷ 0.7 = ₹2,000.
What is 20% off ₹1,500?
20% of ₹1,500 is ₹300, so you pay ₹1,200.