Final answer:
The original price of the scarf before the 15% reduction is calculated by dividing the discounted price (£6.80) by (1 - 0.15), resulting in the original price of £8.00, which is option (a).
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the original price of the scarf before the 15% reduction, we can use the formula for percentage decrease:
Original Price = Discounted Price / (1 - Rate of Discount)
Here, the discounted price is £6.80, and the rate of discount is 15% or 0.15 when expressed as a decimal.
Original Price = £6.80 / (1 - 0.15) = £6.80 / 0.85
Now, carry out the division:
Original Price = £8.00
So, the original price of the scarf was £8.00, which corresponds to option (a).