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
12 exam-pattern profit & loss questions from the practice bank, each with a full solution.
A shopkeeper bought 200 kg of rice at Rs 30/kg. He sold 100 kg at 20% profit and the rest at 10% loss. What is his overall profit or loss percentage?
- A.5% profitCorrect
- B.10% profit
- C.No profit no loss
- D.5% loss
Solution
Total CP = 200 x 30 = Rs 6000. SP of first 100 kg = 100 x 30 x 120/100 = Rs 3600. SP of remaining 100 kg = 100 x 30 x 90/100 = Rs 2700. Total SP = 3600 + 2700 = Rs 6300. Profit = 6300 - 6000 = Rs 300. Profit% = 300/6000 x 100 = 5%.
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 dishonest merchant sells goods at a 12.5% loss on the cost price, but uses 28 g weight instead of 36 g. What is his percentage profit or loss?
- A.6.25% loss
- B.12.5% gain
- C.18.75% gainCorrect
- D.10.5% loss
Solution
Let CP = Rs. 100. SP = 100 - 12.5 = Rs. 87.5. He uses 28g instead of 36g. So, actual CP = (28/36) * 100 = 77.78. Profit = 87.5 - 77.78 = 9.72. Profit % = (9.72/77.78) * 100 = 12.5%. Overall profit = 12.5 + 6.25 = 18.75%.
A sold a mobile phone to B at a gain of 25% and B sold it to C at a loss of 10%. If C paid ` 5,625 for it, how much did A pay (in `) for the Phone?
- A.5,000Correct
- B.4,800
- C.4.500
- D.5,100
Solution
Let A's cost price be x. Then, 1.25x * 0.9 = 5625. Solving for x, we get x = 5000.
A dishonest dealer sells articles at 15% loss on cost price but uses the weight of 20 g instead of 25 g. What is his profit or loss percentage?
- A.6.25% ProfitCorrect
- B.6.50% Profit
- C.7.55% Loss
- D.5.25% Loss
Solution
Let CP be 100. SP = 85. He uses 20g instead of 25g. So, actual CP = (20/25)*100 = 80. Profit = 85 - 80 = 5. Profit % = (5/80)*100 = 6.25%.
A person marked his goods at a price that would give him 40 % profit. But he declared a sale and allowed a 20 % discount on the marked price. What is the profit percentage of the person in the whole transaction?
- A.12 %Correct
- B.32 %
- C.30 %
- D.20 %
Solution
Let CP = 100. MP = 140. SP = 140 * 0.8 = 112. Profit = 112 - 100 = 12%.
An article is marked at ₹550. If it is sold at a discount of 40%, then the selling price becomes 10% more than its cost price. What is the cost price (in ₹)?
- A.330
- B.220
- C.300Correct
- D.200
Solution
Selling price = 550 * 0.6 = 330. 330 = 1.1 * CP. CP = 330/1.1 = 300.
A grocer professes to sell rice at the cost price, but uses a fake weight of 870 g for 1 kg. Find his profit percentage (correct to two decimal places).
- A.11.11%
- B.14.94%Correct
- C.15.11%
- D.18.21%
Solution
Profit % = (Error / (True Value - Error)) * 100 = (130 / (1000 - 130)) * 100 = (130/870)*100 = 14.94%
The nominal value of an article is Rs. 315. It is sold for Rs. 288. If this leads to a loss of 4%, then what percentage of the item was marked more than the cost?
- A.1 6 % 2Correct
- B.5%
- C.1 5 % 2
- D.8%
Solution
Cost price = 288/0.96 = 300. Marked price = 315. Percentage more = (15/300)*100 = 5%.
Renu bought an item for Rs.1,240 and sold it at a loss of 25%. With that amount, she bought another item and sold it for 40% profit. What percentage of profit did Renu get?
- A.12%
- B.5%Correct
- C.2 6 % 3
- D.15%
Solution
Selling price after 25% loss = 1240 * 0.75 = 930. Selling price after 40% profit = 930 * 1.4 = 1302. Overall profit = 1302 - 1240 = 62. Profit percentage = (62/1240)*100 = 5%.
A dealer sold 6 sewing machines for ₹ 63,000 with a profit of 5 %. For how much should he sell 8 machines if he intends to earn 15 % profit?
- A.₹ 88,200
- B.₹ 69,300
- C.₹ 92,000
- D.₹ 92,400Correct
Solution
CP of 6 machines = 63000/1.05 = 60000. CP of 1 machine = 10000. CP of 8 machines = 80000. SP of 8 machines = 80000 * 1.15 = 92000.
An article marked at Rs.800 is sold at 10% discount. If the cost price is Rs.600, find the profit%.
- A.15%
- B.20%Correct
- C.25%
- D.10%
Solution
SP = 800 - 10% = 720. Profit = 720 - 600 = 120. Profit% = (120/600) × 100 = 20%.
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.