How to Find the Original Price After a Discount (Reverse Percentage)
You see a jacket at ₹1,600 marked "20% off". What was the price before the discount? This is called a reverse percentage and it trips up many people, because the answer is not ₹1,600 + 20%.
The formula
Original price = sale price ÷ (1 − discount ÷ 100)
For ₹1,600 at 20% off: 1,600 ÷ 0.80 = ₹2,000.
Why adding 20% does not work
The 20% discount was taken from the original price, not from the sale price. If you add 20% to ₹1,600 you get ₹1,920, and 20% off ₹1,920 is only ₹1,536. The sale price is 80% of the original, so divide by 0.80.
More examples
| Sale price | Discount | Calculation | Original price |
|---|---|---|---|
| ₹900 | 10% | 900 ÷ 0.90 | ₹1,000 |
| ₹1,500 | 25% | 1,500 ÷ 0.75 | ₹2,000 |
| ₹2,100 | 30% | 2,100 ÷ 0.70 | ₹3,000 |
| ₹500 | 50% | 500 ÷ 0.50 | ₹1,000 |
The same idea works for GST
To remove GST from a price that already includes it, divide by 1 plus the rate. ₹11,800 including 18% GST: 11,800 ÷ 1.18 = ₹10,000. See how to calculate GST for the full method.
Find the original price instantly
Our percentage and discount calculator has a "Find the original price" box. Type the sale price and discount and it shows the original price and how much you saved. For the other direction, read how to calculate a discount and sale price.