Question

After a 40% discount the cost of a sofa is $471 what was the original cost of the sofa?

Answer 1

100% - 40% = 60%, meaning the discounted price is really just 60% of the original 100% price, let's say the 100% price is hmmmm "x".

if 60% of the original price is $471, what is the 100% or namely "x"?

$\bf \begin{array}{ccll} amount&\%\\ \cline{1-2} 471&60\\ x&100 \end{array}\implies \cfrac{471}{x}=\cfrac{60}{100}\implies \cfrac{471}{x}=\cfrac{3}{5}\implies 2355 = 3x \\\\\\ \cfrac{2355}{3}=x\implies 785=x$