This introduction covers The Original Price Mystery within Reverse Percentages for GCSE Mathematics. Revise Reverse Percentages in Ratio & Proportion for GCSE Mathematics with 12 exam-style questions and 22 flashcards. This topic appears regularly enough that it should still be part of a steady revision cycle. It is section 1 of 6 in this topic. Use this introduction to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
🔍 The Original Price Mystery
Jake pays £72 for a jacket in a sale. The jacket has been reduced by 20%. What was the original price before the sale?
This is a reverse percentage problem - we need to work backwards from the final amount to find the original. Whether it's finding original prices before discounts or initial values before percentage changes, reverse percentages help us solve these "what was it before?" questions.
Practice questions for Reverse Percentages
A price after a 20% increase is £120. Which calculation finds the ORIGINAL price?
A TV costs £360 after a 10% increase. A student says: 'The original price was £360 - 10% = £360 - £36 = £324.' Explain the error in the student's method. What is the correct original price?