A store is having a sale with a 20% discount. If an item costs $50, what is the discount amount?

To determine the discount amount on an item that costs $50 with a 20% discount, you need to calculate 20% of $50.

First, convert the percentage to a decimal for the calculation. Twenty percent is equivalent to 0.20 when expressed as a decimal. Then, multiply the cost of the item by this decimal:

0.20 × $50 = $10.

This means the discount amount is $10. Understanding how to convert percentages to decimals and then applying that to find the actual dollar amount is crucial in solving such problems. Knowing that 20% of 50 results in a discount of $10 helps in grasping percentage calculations more effectively.