If an item regularly costs d dollars and is discounted 12 percent, which of the following represents the discounted price in dollars?

Rationale

The discounted price in dollars is represented by 0.88d.

To find the discounted price of an item that costs d dollars with a 12 percent discount, one must subtract 12 percent of d from the original price. This calculation results in 88 percent of the original price, which is expressed as 0.88d.

A (0.12d) YOUR ANSWER

This option represents 12 percent of the original price d, which is the amount of the discount, not the final price after applying the discount. Therefore, it does not accurately reflect the discounted price of the item.

B (0.88d) CORRECT

This choice correctly indicates the discounted price by taking the original price d and multiplying it by 88 percent (or 1 - 0.12). This effectively deducts the 12 percent discount, yielding the price the customer would pay after the discount is applied.

C (1.12d) YOUR ANSWER

This option incorrectly suggests that the price increases by 12 percent, which would imply adding the discount rather than subtracting it. Thus, 1.12d represents a price higher than the original, which does not apply in this context of a discount.

D (d-0.12) YOUR ANSWER

While this expression indicates a reduction in price, it inaccurately suggests a fixed dollar amount of 0.12 being subtracted from d. The discount needs to be calculated as a percentage of the original price, not a flat dollar amount, making this option incorrect.

Conclusion

The correct expression for the discounted price after a 12 percent reduction from an original cost of d dollars is 0.88d. This value accurately reflects the remaining percentage of the original price after the discount has been applied, while the other options either misrepresent the discount or calculate the price incorrectly. Understanding how to apply percentage discounts is essential for accurate pricing in various financial contexts.