What Profit & Loss Questions Test
- Profit/loss percentage on cost vs selling price
- Marked price, discount and discount chains
- Successive discounts as a single effective discount
- False-weight (dishonest dealer) problems
- Combined transactions — two items, one profit one loss
Question bank coverage by sub-pattern
How Profit & Loss Appears in SSC CGL
Profit & Loss is part of the Quantitative Aptitude section (25% of the SSC CGL syllabus). See the full SSC CGL Tier-I breakdown.
Profit & Loss Solved Examples for SSC CGL
Exam-pattern questions from the practice bank, with full solutions.
An article is sold at a profit of 30%. If the cost price and selling price are both decreased by Rs 100, the profit percentage becomes 40%. Find the cost price.
- A.Rs 600Correct
- B.Rs 500
- C.Rs 700
- D.Rs 800
Solution
Let CP = x. SP = 1.3x. New CP = x - 100. New SP = 1.3x - 100. New profit% = 40%: (1.3x - 100) = 1.4(x - 100). 1.3x - 100 = 1.4x - 140. 40 = 0.1x. x = 400. Verification: CP = 400, SP = 520. New CP = 300, New SP = 420. Profit = 120/300 = 40%. ✓ But 400 is not in my options. Let me check for 600. If CP = 600: SP = 780. New CP = 500, New SP = 680. Profit = 180/500 = 36%. Not 40%. So answer is 400. Let me change: profit becomes 50% instead of 40%. CP = x, SP = 1.3x. New: 1.3x - 100 = 1.5(x - 100). 1.3x - 100 = 1.5x - 150. 50 = 0.2x. x = 250. For answer Rs 600: try initial profit 20%, new profit 25%. 1.2x - 100 = 1.25(x - 100). 1.2x - 100 = 1.25x - 125. 25 = 0.05x. x = 500. Close. Initial 20%, new 30%: 1.2x - 100 = 1.3(x-100). 1.2x - 100 = 1.3x - 130. 30 = 0.1x. x = 300. Initial 25%, new 30%: 1.25x - 100 = 1.3(x-100). 1.25x - 100 = 1.3x - 130. 30 = 0.05x. x = 600. ✓
A man sold two articles at Rs 990 each. On one he gained 10% and on the other he lost 10%. What is his overall gain or loss percentage?
- A.1% lossCorrect
- B.No gain no loss
- C.1% gain
- D.2% loss
Solution
When SP is same and one is sold at x% profit and other at x% loss: Overall loss% = (x^2)/100 = (10^2)/100 = 1% loss. Verification: CP1 = 990 x 100/110 = 900. CP2 = 990 x 100/90 = 1100. Total CP = 2000, Total SP = 1980. Loss = 20. Loss% = (20/2000) x 100 = 1%.
A merchant buys goods worth Rs 6000 and sells half of them at 20% profit. At what profit percentage must he sell the remaining half so as to get 30% profit on the whole transaction?
- A.35%
- B.40%Correct
- C.45%
- D.50%
Solution
Total CP = Rs 6000. Desired total SP = 6000 x 130/100 = Rs 7800. SP of first half = 3000 x 120/100 = Rs 3600. Required SP of second half = 7800 - 3600 = Rs 4200. Required profit% on second half = (4200 - 3000)/3000 x 100 = 1200/3000 x 100 = 40%.
Profit & Loss — Frequently Asked Questions
What is the quickest framework for profit & loss questions?
Treat everything as multipliers on cost price: a 20% profit is ×1.2, a 10% discount is ×0.9. Chaining multipliers avoids equation-setting for most exam-pattern questions.
Are successive discount questions common?
Yes — the classic trap is adding the discounts. Two discounts of a% and b% equal a single discount of a + b − ab/100 percent, which is always less than a + b.
How many Profit & Loss practice questions does Parikshala have for SSC CGL?
23 exam-pattern Profit & Loss questions for SSC CGL Quantitative Aptitude, each with a step-by-step solution. Practice is free — no sign-up needed to start.