Money Math · Lesson Plan

Calculating a Sales Price

What will you actually pay after a discount? This two-step lesson puts the pieces together: first find the amount of the discount (percent of the original price), then subtract it from the original price to get the sale price. Students practice on four real shopping scenarios, finding both the discount and the final price (answer key included).

Grades 6–9 Lesson Plan 30–45 minutes Free Lesson

Calculating a sales price lesson illustration

For Teachers

Lesson at a glance

Topic: Money Math
Grade Level: Grades 6–9
Resource Type: Lesson + Worksheet
Estimated Time: 30–45 minutes
Format: Lesson + worksheet + answer key
Materials: Printable lesson, worksheet, answer key, calculator

What Students Learn

Learning objectives

Calculate the amount of a discount as a percent of the original price
Subtract the discount from the original price to find the sale price
Carry out a two-step money problem in order
Apply the method to coupons, club discounts, and employee discounts
Report both the discount and the final price

Materials

What you’ll need

Printed copies of the lesson and worksheet (one per student)
Calculators
Pencils
Whiteboard or projector for worked examples

Key Terms

Vocabulary

Sale price: What you actually pay after the discount.
Original price: The price before any discount.
Discount: The amount taken off the original price.
Two-step problem: A problem solved in two ordered calculations.
Coupon: A voucher that gives a discount.
Markdown: A reduction from the original price.

For Teachers

Lesson plan

Estimated time: one 30–45 minute class period.

Lesson sequence

Introduction (5 min). Use the guitar example: $65 marked 15% off — what will you pay?
Teach the two steps (12 min). (1) Find the discount (percent of original); (2) subtract from the original price. Work the sweater example too.
Worksheet (15 min). Students solve four scenarios, reporting the discount and the sale price for each.
Review (8 min). Check answers with the key.

Assessment

Assess the completed worksheet against the included answer key.

Discussion

Discussion questions

What are the two steps to find a sale price?
Why do you find the discount before the sale price?
How is a coupon discount the same math as a store markdown?
If two items have the same percent off, which saves more dollars?
Where would you use this calculation in real shopping?

Printable Lesson, Worksheet & Answer Key