Final answer:
Twelve items costing $40 each would originally come to $480. After applying a 10% discount, the total cost for twelve items will be $432.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question asks how much twelve items will cost if a supplier offers a 10% discount for ordering twelve or more items, where each item is originally priced at $40. Calculating the discount on the total price, we start by finding the original cost without the discount, which is 12 items multiplied by $40 each, resulting in $480. Applying the 10% discount, we subtract 10% of $480 (which is $48) from the original total cost. Therefore, the total discounted cost for twelve items is $480 - $48, which equals $432.