If an object is discounted by 20% and its original price was $50, what is the new price?

To find the new price of the object after a 20% discount, you first need to calculate the amount of the discount and then subtract that from the original price.

1. Calculate the discount:

Start with the original price of $50. The discount is 20% of this price:

[

\text{Discount} = 20% \times 50 = 0.20 \times 50 = 10

]

2. Subtract the discount from the original price:

Now, subtract the discount amount from the original price:

[

\text{New Price} = \text{Original Price} - \text{Discount} = 50 - 10 = 40

]

Thus, the new price of the object after applying the 20% discount is $40, which matches the choice provided.

This calculation illustrates the process of determining the final price after a percentage discount has been applied, an important concept in financial mathematics.