STEP 1
Laura's dress =$ 179.55
Caitlin's dress= $ 234.99
The difference =$234.99-$179.55
The difference=$55.44
STEP 2
[tex]\begin{gathered} \text{The rate of discount =}\frac{55.44}{234.99}\times100\text{ percent} \\ \\ \text{The rate of discount =0.2359}\times100percent \\ \text{The rate of discount =}23.6\text{percent} \end{gathered}[/tex]THE FINAL ANSWER IS 23.6%
OPTION 3