Math at the check out

Today we bought a 100' 20amp extension cord for the camper. They were $73.50 at Lowes, but there was a sign saying they were 25% off, discount to be taken off at register. Okay, great.

So, the cashier scans it and it rings up $73.50. I tell her about the discount sign, and walk her over to show her. No problem.

Then she tries to do the math.

She multiplies the price times .25 and gets and answer of $18 and change. She knows that can't be the right price, so she does it again. And still gets $18 and some.

She was perplexed.

And I finally said, "That's the discount. The price would be $73.50 x .75."

She thinks for a second, and then punches that into her calculator, getting an answer of $55 and change.

I suppose she believed me and that that was indeed correct, because that's what she went ahead and charged me. She could have also just subtracted the discount price from the regular price to find the sale price, or multiplied by .75 like I suggested.

But hey, at least she knew that .25 = 25%, and that the cord should be more than $18. Still, kind of scary.