Understanding Offer Logic: A Simple Example of a Discount

Have you ever encountered a situation where the logic behind a discount offer was unclear, leading to some confusion? This article aims to clarify one such scenario through a detailed analysis of a promotional offer on oranges. Let's delve into the arithmetic and reasoning steps to determine the total cost when applying the "buy 1 get 1 half off" offer to a basket of oranges.

The Scenario: Buying Oranges with an Offer

Let's revisit the original scenario with Mike's basket of oranges. Mike observed a special offer that promised a "buy 1 get 1 half off" deal, but he was unsure about how to calculate the total price if he decided to buy three baskets of oranges. Here’s the original question:

Mike bought a basket of oranges for $5. There was a special offer for buy 1 get 1 half off if Mike buys 2 baskets of oranges. How much is the total price?

Step-by-Step Calculation

The key to solving this problem lies in understanding the offer and breaking down the purchase into individual transactions. Let's go through the calculations:

1. Buying the First Basket

When Mike buys the first basket, he pays the full price:

Price for one basket $5

2. Buying the Second and Third Baskets

Since the offer states "buy 1 get 1 half off," the second basket will be at half the price of the first. The third basket, being the additional basket, will be at the full price.

Price for the second basket (half off) $5 / 2 $2.50 Price for the third basket (full price) $5

3. Total Cost Calculation

To find the total cost, we sum the prices of each basket:

Total cost $5 (first basket) $2.50 (second basket) $5 (third basket) $12.50

Conclusion

The total cost for Mike, when he buys three baskets of oranges under the "buy 1 get 1 half off" offer, is $12.50.

Description of the Offer

The "buy 1 get 1 half off" offer works as follows:

If Mike buys 2 baskets, he pays full price for the first basket ($5), and half price for the second basket ($2.50). If Mike buys 3 baskets, the third basket is payable at full price ($5) because he has already received the half-price discount for the second basket.

Common Misunderstandings

There are common misunderstandings that might arise when dealing with such offers. For instance, the alternative scenarios that gave incorrect answers were:

Miscalculating by assuming all baskets are at half price, which is not the case. Failing to recognize that the half-off applies only to the second basket when buying two baskets, and the third basket remains at full price.

Final Recap

When Mike buys three baskets of oranges under the "buy 1 get 1 half off" offer, the total cost is $12.50, not $15.00 as some might incorrectly calculate. This example clearly illustrates the importance of carefully understanding the terms of any promotional offer before making a purchase.