26. The price of a product was first reduced by $10 \%$, and then by $15 \%$. What is the overall percentage reduction? Would it be the same if the price was first reduced by $15 \%$, and then by $10 \%$?
26. Let the original price be $a$. After a $10\%$ reduction, it became $0.9a$, and after a $15\%$ reduction, it became $0.765(0.9a \cdot 0.85 = 0.765a)$, which is $23.5\%$ lower than the original $(100\% - 76.5\% = 23.5\%)$. If the price had first been reduced by $15\%$, it would have become $0.85a$; if it had then been reduced by $10\%$, it would have become $0.85a \cdot 0.9 = 0.765a$, i.e., $23.5\%$ lower. Therefore, the total percentage reduction in both cases is the same.