someone bought a shirt on sale for 25% off the original price and another 25% off the discounted price. If the final price was $16, what was the price before the first discount?

28.44$

Step-by-step explanation:

The original price of a shirt is A.

This shirt is on sale for 25% => the price of that shirt after being sale:

P1 = A - A x 25% = A - A x (25/100) = A - A x (1/4) = A x (3/4)

This shirt is discounted one more time for 25% => the price of that shirt after being discounted second time.

P2 = P1 - P1 x 25% = P1 - P1 x (25/100) = P1 - P1 x (1/4) = P1 x (3/4) = A x (3/4)^2

P2 is given to be equal to 16$, then there is an expression:

P2 = 16

or

A x (3/4)^2 = 16

=> A x (9/16) = 16

=> A = 16 x (16/9) = 28.44$

Hope this helps!