Originally, a department store bought a set of dishes at a cost of \( \$ 57.68 \) and marked it up \( 125 \% \). After a month, the set of dishes had not sold, so the store marked it down \( 50 \% \). What was the discounted price?

The store initially marked up the price of the dishes by \( 125\% \). To calculate the marked-up price, we first find \( 125\% \) of \( 57.68 \), which is \( 57.68 \times 1.25 = 72.10 \). Then, when the store marks it down by \( 50\% \), we take \( 50\% \) of the marked price: \( 72.10 \times 0.50 = 36.05 \). Finally, subtract the markdown from the original marked price: \( 72.10 - 36.05 = 36.05 \). So, the discounted price of the dishes is \( \$ 36.05 \).