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Two Discounts Do Not Make Thirty

6th grade nonfiction passage about stacking percent discounts: 213 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.

6th grade nonfiction stacking percent discounts 213 words

Two Discounts Do Not Make Thirty

A sneaker store hangs a bold sign: 20 percent off all shoes, and an extra 10 percent off with a coupon. Maya wants a pair that costs 80 dollars. She adds the two discounts and expects to save 30 percent, which would bring the price down to 56 dollars. At the register, the total is 57 dollars and 60 cents. Did the store make a mistake?

It did not. A percent is always a part of some starting amount, and these two discounts do not use the same starting amount. The first discount takes 20 percent of 80 dollars, which is 16 dollars, so the shoes drop to 64 dollars. The coupon then takes 10 percent of the new price of 64 dollars, which is 6 dollars and 40 cents. After that is subtracted, the final price is 57 dollars and 60 cents.

The second discount saved less than Maya expected because it was figured on a smaller number. Ten percent of 64 dollars is less than ten percent of 80 dollars. That is why two discounts in a row always save a little less than the two percents added together.

Smart shoppers watch for the words "extra percent off." They often mean the second discount comes after the first one. Before you buy, work out the final price yourself, and you will know what to expect when you reach the register.

Questions

  1. What price did Maya expect to pay after adding the discounts? in the text

  2. What was the price of the shoes after the first discount? in the text

  3. How much money did the coupon take off? in the text

  4. Why was the coupon worth only 6 dollars and 40 cents? think about it

  5. Why was Maya's guess of 56 dollars wrong? think about it

  6. What should a shopper do before buying? in the text

Words to know

discount
an amount taken off the regular price
percent
a part out of one hundred equal parts
coupon
a small ticket that lowers the price of something
register
the place in a store where you pay
subtracted
taken away from a larger amount
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One passage, three levels

The same topic and facts written three ways, so a mixed class can read and talk about one text. Each group’s sheet shows only a shape; the key says which is which.

● Easier · 126 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2

Maya wants shoes that cost 80 dollars. A sign says 20 percent off. She also has a coupon for 10 percent more off. She adds 20 and 10 and gets 30 percent. She thinks she will pay 56 dollars. At the register, the price is 57 dollars and 60 cents. Why?

A percent is a part of a starting number. The two discounts do not start from the same number. First, 20 percent of 80 dollars is 16 dollars. The shoes now cost 64 dollars. Then the coupon takes 10 percent of 64 dollars. That is 6 dollars and 40 cents. The last price is 57 dollars and 60 cents.

The coupon saved less because 64 is smaller than 80. So two discounts save a little less than the two percents added up.

Work out the price before you buy. Then you will know what to expect.

▲ This passage · 213 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.2

A sneaker store hangs a bold sign: 20 percent off all shoes, and an extra 10 percent off with a coupon. Maya wants a pair that costs 80 dollars. She adds the two discounts and expects to save 30 percent, which would bring the price down to 56 dollars. At the register, the total is 57 dollars and 60 cents. Did the store make a mistake?

It did not. A percent is always a part of some starting amount, and these two discounts do not use the same starting amount. The first discount takes 20 percent of 80 dollars, which is 16 dollars, so the shoes drop to 64 dollars. The coupon then takes 10 percent of the new price of 64 dollars, which is 6 dollars and 40 cents. After that is subtracted, the final price is 57 dollars and 60 cents.

The second discount saved less than Maya expected because it was figured on a smaller number. Ten percent of 64 dollars is less than ten percent of 80 dollars. That is why two discounts in a row always save a little less than the two percents added together.

Smart shoppers watch for the words "extra percent off." They often mean the second discount comes after the first one. Before you buy, work out the final price yourself, and you will know what to expect when you reach the register.

■ Harder · 236 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 7.6

A sneaker store has hung a bold sign announcing 20 percent off every pair of shoes, plus an extra 10 percent off for customers who present a coupon. Maya has her eye on a pair that costs 80 dollars. Reasoning that the two discounts combine, she adds them together and expects to save 30 percent, which would lower the price to 56 dollars. At the register, however, the total comes to 57 dollars and 60 cents. Has the store made a mistake?

It has not. A percent always describes a portion of some starting amount, and these two discounts are not measured from the same starting amount. The first takes 20 percent of 80 dollars, which is 16 dollars, so the shoes fall to 64 dollars. The coupon then removes 10 percent of that new price of 64 dollars, which comes to 6 dollars and 40 cents. Once that has been subtracted, the final price is 57 dollars and 60 cents.

The second discount saved less than Maya anticipated because it was calculated from a smaller number. Ten percent of 64 dollars is less than ten percent of 80 dollars. That explains why two discounts applied one after the other always save a little less than the two percents added together.

Careful shoppers pay attention to the words "extra percent off," which frequently signal that the second discount comes after the first. Before making a purchase, it is wise to calculate the final price yourself, so that nothing at the register comes as a surprise.

Download as one PDF

How to use it

  1. Press Read it big (or B) to put the text on the projector, or Full screen (F) to fill the whole screen.
  2. Ask the questions one at a time and use Show answer when the class has decided. A shows or hides every answer.
  3. Print student copy for the class, or Print with answers for yourself.

Ideas for class

  • Before reading, put discount, percent, coupon, register and subtracted on the board with their meanings from the Words to know section and have students predict what the text will be about.
  • Read it aloud once while students follow along, then have them reread it alone or with a partner. At a calm 100 words a minute it takes about 2 minutes to read aloud.
  • Use the Read it big button (or B) to put the text on the projector, and Show answer on one question at a time so the class commits to an answer first.
  • Question 4 asks the reader to infer. Ask students to point to the words in the passage that led them to their answer.
  • Ask students to write one question the passage did not answer, then look for the answer in a book or on a classroom screen.
  • Print the student copy for independent work and keep the answer-key copy for yourself.

Related

Questions

What reading level is "Two Discounts Do Not Make Thirty"?

It was written for 6th grade. It has 213 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 5.2. That is a formula's estimate from sentence length and syllables, and it is not a Lexile or a guided reading level, so check it against your students.

What do the questions ask?

There are six. 4 ask for something the text says directly and 2 ask the reader to work something out from clues. Each has an answer in the key, and the answers are written as a teacher would accept them, not as the only possible wording.

How long does it take to read?

About 2 minutes read aloud at 100 words a minute. For a one-minute fluency check, paste it into the fluency timer and use the word count.

Can I print it?

Yes. Print student copy gives the passage, the questions with lines to write on, and the word meanings. Print with answers gives the same page with the answers filled in. Both are made in your browser.

Is this passage from a published book?

No. It was written for Peabody Teach, so there is no book to buy and no login to read it.

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