Learn the 3-Step Method
1Find the percentage of the original.
25% of £60: half is 30, half again is 15.
2Take it away.
New price = original − decrease: 60 − 15 = 45.
3Sense-check.
A decrease means the answer must be LESS than the original.
Worked Example
A 240 g cereal box shrinks by 10%. What's the new weight?
Watch Out! Common Mistakes
Wrong! £15 is the discount. The sale price is 60 − 15 = £45.
Wrong! 25% of £60 is £15, not £25. Sale price: £45.
Wrong! ‘Reduced’ means smaller: 240 − 24 = 216 g.
⬇ Cheat Sheet
- Find the percentage of the original amount.
- SUBTRACT it from the original.
- Decrease by 25% = keep 75% of the original.
- Check: the answer must be smaller than you started with.
📖 Continue Your Journey
Quick summary
- Find the percentage of the original first.
- Subtract it: £60 reduced by 25% is £60 − £15 = £45.
- Decreasing by 25% means keeping 75%.
- A decrease must always give less than the original — check it.
Frequently asked questions
How do you decrease an amount by a percentage?
Find that percentage of the original and subtract it. £60 reduced by 25%: 25% of £60 is £15, so the sale price is £45.
What does '25% off' mean in a sale?
The price drops by a quarter of the original — you pay the remaining 75%. A £60 jacket at 25% off costs £45.
How can children check a percentage decrease answer?
Two ways: the answer must be smaller than the original, and discount + sale price must add back to the original (£15 + £45 = £60).
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