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Quantitative Aptitude practice

Profit and Loss Questions with Answers

Profit and loss deals with cost price, selling price and the gain or loss made on a sale. Profit and loss questions in SSC CGL, CHSL and MTS, RRB NTPC and Group D, and bank prelims mix in discount, marked price and successive transactions. Typical questions ask for the profit percentage, the cost price from a given gain, or the net result of two sales. Tip: profit and loss percentages are always calculated on the cost price unless the question says otherwise.

Formulas you need

  • Profit = SP − CP; Loss = CP − SP
  • Profit % = (Profit ÷ CP) × 100; Loss % = (Loss ÷ CP) × 100
  • SP = CP × (100 + Profit %) ÷ 100; CP = SP × 100 ÷ (100 + Profit %)
  • For a loss: SP = CP × (100 − Loss %) ÷ 100
  • Discount = Marked price − SP; Discount % = (Discount ÷ Marked price) × 100
  • SP = Marked price × (100 − Discount %) ÷ 100
  • Two articles sold at the same price, one at x% profit and one at x% loss: net loss % = x² ÷ 100
  • Successive discounts of a% and b%: single discount = a + b − (ab ÷ 100)
  • If CP of x articles = SP of y articles, profit % = [(x − y) ÷ y] × 100 when x > y

Worked examples

Q1. An article bought for ₹640 is sold for ₹800. Find the profit percentage.

  1. Profit = 800 − 640 = 160
  2. Profit % = 160 ÷ 640 × 100
  3. = 25%

Answer: 25%

Q2. A shopkeeper marks an article at ₹800 and gives a discount of 10%. He still earns a profit of 20%. Find the cost price.

  1. Selling price = 800 × 90 ÷ 100 = ₹720
  2. SP = CP × 120 ÷ 100, so 720 = CP × 1.2
  3. CP = 720 ÷ 1.2 = 600

Answer: ₹600

Q3. Two articles are each sold for ₹1,980. One is sold at a 10% gain and the other at a 10% loss. Find the overall gain or loss percentage.

  1. CP of first = 1,980 × 100 ÷ 110 = ₹1,800
  2. CP of second = 1,980 × 100 ÷ 90 = ₹2,200
  3. Total CP = 4,000; total SP = 3,960
  4. Loss = 40, so loss % = 40 ÷ 4,000 × 100 = 1%
  5. Cross-check with the formula: 10² ÷ 100 = 1% loss

Answer: 1% loss

Shortcuts that save time

  • Use the ratio method: with a 25% profit, SP : CP = 5 : 4. Pick CP = 4 units and SP = 5 units and answer in one line without fractions.
  • For 'same SP, equal gain and loss' questions, the answer is always a loss of x² ÷ 100 %. Remembering this saves a long calculation and stops you from wrongly marking 'no profit, no loss'.
  • For discount chains, multiply the factors, not the percentages. Two discounts of 10% and 20% give 0.9 × 0.8 = 0.72, which is a 28% single discount.

Where this appears

SSC CGL Tier-1Quantitative Aptitude section
SSC CHSL Tier-1Quantitative Aptitude section
SSC MTSNumerical and Mathematical Ability section
RRB NTPC CBT-1Mathematics section
Bank PO/Clerk PrelimsQuantitative Aptitude section

Profit and Loss

Practice Set
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A shopkeeper buys an article for Rs. 300 and sells it at a profit of 12%. Find the selling price.

Quantitative Aptitude · stress-free practice · answers reveal instantly

Profit and Loss questions with answers

10 sample questions from this topic with the correct option and the solution.

  1. Q1. A shopkeeper buys an article for Rs. 3725 and sells it at a profit of 22%. Find the selling price.

    1. Rs. 5226.2
    2. Rs. 2905.5
    3. Rs. 4544.5
    4. Rs. 4358.2

    Answer: (C) Rs. 4544.5

    Solution
    SP = CP x (1 + Profit%/100) = 3725 x (1+22/100) = Rs. 4544.5.

  2. Q2. A shopkeeper buys an article for Rs. 3125 and sells it at a profit of 33%. Find the selling price.

    1. Rs. 4779.6
    2. Rs. 3999.9
    3. Rs. 2093.8
    4. Rs. 4156.2

    Answer: (D) Rs. 4156.2

    Solution
    SP = CP x (1 + Profit%/100) = 3125 x (1+33/100) = Rs. 4156.2.

  3. Q3. A shopkeeper buys an article for Rs. 3900 and sells it at a profit of 35%. Find the selling price.

    1. Rs. 5070.0
    2. Rs. 2535.0
    3. Rs. 6054.7
    4. Rs. 5265.0

    Answer: (D) Rs. 5265.0

    Solution
    SP = CP x (1 + Profit%/100) = 3900 x (1+35/100) = Rs. 5265.0.

  4. Q4. A shopkeeper buys an article for Rs. 975 and sells it at a profit of 20%. Find the selling price.

    1. Rs. 1121.2
    2. Rs. 780.0
    3. Rs. 1170.0
    4. Rs. 1345.5

    Answer: (C) Rs. 1170.0

    Solution
    SP = CP x (1 + Profit%/100) = 975 x (1+20/100) = Rs. 1170.0.

  5. Q5. A shopkeeper buys an article for Rs. 1875 and sells it at a profit of 30%. Find the selling price.

    1. Rs. 1312.5
    2. Rs. 2803.1
    3. Rs. 2343.8
    4. Rs. 2437.5

    Answer: (D) Rs. 2437.5

    Solution
    SP = CP x (1 + Profit%/100) = 1875 x (1+30/100) = Rs. 2437.5.

  6. Q6. A shopkeeper buys an article for Rs. 2250 and sells it at a profit of 10%. Find the selling price.

    1. Rs. 2846.2
    2. Rs. 2362.5
    3. Rs. 2475.0
    4. Rs. 2025.0

    Answer: (C) Rs. 2475.0

    Solution
    SP = CP x (1 + Profit%/100) = 2250 x (1+10/100) = Rs. 2475.0.

  7. Q7. A shopkeeper buys an article for Rs. 775 and sells it at a profit of 30%. Find the selling price.

    1. Rs. 1007.5
    2. Rs. 968.8
    3. Rs. 1158.6
    4. Rs. 542.5

    Answer: (A) Rs. 1007.5

    Solution
    SP = CP x (1 + Profit%/100) = 775 x (1+30/100) = Rs. 1007.5.

  8. Q8. A shopkeeper buys an article for Rs. 3450 and sells it at a profit of 12%. Find the selling price.

    1. Rs. 3691.5
    2. Rs. 4443.6
    3. Rs. 3036.0
    4. Rs. 3864.0

    Answer: (D) Rs. 3864.0

    Solution
    SP = CP x (1 + Profit%/100) = 3450 x (1+12/100) = Rs. 3864.0.

  9. Q9. A shopkeeper buys an article for Rs. 4500 and sells it at a profit of 28%. Find the selling price.

    1. Rs. 5760.0
    2. Rs. 5535.0
    3. Rs. 6624.0
    4. Rs. 3240.0

    Answer: (A) Rs. 5760.0

    Solution
    SP = CP x (1 + Profit%/100) = 4500 x (1+28/100) = Rs. 5760.0.

  10. Q10. A shopkeeper buys an article for Rs. 550 and sells it at a profit of 28%. Find the selling price.

    1. Rs. 809.6
    2. Rs. 396.0
    3. Rs. 704.0
    4. Rs. 676.5

    Answer: (C) Rs. 704.0

    Solution
    SP = CP x (1 + Profit%/100) = 550 x (1+28/100) = Rs. 704.0.