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NDA Basic Profit & Loss

Study Material — 6 PYQs (2018–2020) · Concept Notes · Shortcuts

NDA Basic Profit & Loss is a frequently tested subtopic — 6 previous year questions from 2018–2020 papers are included below with concept notes, key rules and shortcut tricks.

6 PYQs
2018–2020
55 Practice
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10 Key Points
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Previous Year Questions

NDA Basic Profit & Loss — Past Exam Questions

6 questions from actual NDA papers · all shown free · click option to reveal solution

Exam Q 12019Previous Year Pattern

A shopkeeper buys a watch for ₹800 and marks it at a price such that after giving a discount of 20%, he still makes a profit of 25%. At what price is the watch marked?

Exam Q 22020Previous Year Pattern

A shopkeeper bought a watch for ₹800. He marked it at 40% above the cost price and offered a discount of 10% on the marked price. What is his profit percentage?

Exam Q 32018Previous Year Pattern

A shopkeeper buys an article for ₹840 and sells it at a profit of 25%. What is the selling price of the article?

Exam Q 42019Previous Year Pattern

A shopkeeper buys 120 articles at ₹15 per article. He sells 80% of them at ₹20 per article and the remaining at ₹12 per article. What is his overall profit percentage?

Exam Q 52020Previous Year Pattern

A shopkeeper bought a batch of shirts at ₹400 per shirt. He marked them up by 60% above the cost price. During a sale, he offered a 25% discount on the marked price. What is his profit percentage on the shirts sold during the sale?

Exam Q 62020Previous Year Pattern

A shopkeeper marks up goods by 60% above cost price. He then offers a discount of 25% on the marked price during a sale. Later, he realizes his profit margin is too low, so he increases the selling price by 20%. If the cost price of an item is ₹500, what is his final profit percentage?

Concept Notes

Basic Profit & Loss— Rules & Concept

Core ConceptRead this first — the foundation of the topic
Core Concept

When you buy something for Rs. 100 and sell it for Rs. 120, you make Rs. 20 profit. If you sell it for Rs. 80, you face Rs. 20 loss. This simple idea forms the basis of all profit-loss calculations

Key Terms

Cost Price (CP) = Price at which goods are purchased. Selling Price (SP) = Price at which goods are sold. Profit = SP - CP (when SP > CP). Loss = CP - SP (when CP > SP).

Formula BlockMemorise — at least one formula appears in every paper
Profit% = (Profit/CP) × 100. Loss% = (Loss/CP) × 100. SP = CP + Profit = CP(100 + Profit%)/100. SP = CP - Loss = CP(100 - Loss%)/100. CP = SP × 100/(100 + Profit%). CP = SP × 100/(100 - Loss%).
Exam PatternsWhat examiners ask — read before attempting PYQs

SSC CGL asks 2-3 direct profit-loss questions every year. Common question types include finding CP when SP and profit% are given, calculating overall profit/loss in multiple transactions, and finding marked price after discount. Powerful Shortcut #1: When profit% = loss%, overall result is always loss. Loss% = (Profit%)²/100. Example: 20% profit on one item, 20% loss on another = Overall loss of 4%.

Worked ExampleSolve this step-by-step before moving on
1
Step 1

Identify CP = Rs. 800, SP = Rs. 920

2
Step 2

Calculate Profit = SP - CP = 920 - 800 = Rs. 120

3
Step 3

Apply formula Profit% = (Profit/CP) × 100 = (120/800) × 100 = 15% Answer: 15% profit Shortcut #2: Quick CP calculation when SP and profit% known. Use: CP = SP/(1 + Profit%/100). For 25% profit, divide SP by 1.25. For 20% loss, divide SP by 0.8. Worked Example 2: An article is sold for Rs. 1440 at 20% loss. Find the cost price.

1
Step 1

SP = Rs. 1440, Loss% = 20%

2
Step 2

Use shortcut CP = SP/(1 - Loss%/100) = SP/0.8

3
Step 3

CP = 1440/0.8 = Rs. 1800 Verification: 20% of 1800 = 360, so SP = 1800 - 360 = 1440 ✓ Answer: Rs. 1800 Shortcut #3: For successive transactions, multiply factors. 10% profit followed by 20% loss = 1.1 × 0.8 = 0.88, meaning 12% overall loss. Most Common Trap: Students calculate percentage on Selling Price instead of Cost Price. Remember: Profit% and Loss% are ALWAYS calculated on Cost Price, never on Selling Price. This mistake costs at least 1-2 marks in every exam. Another frequent error involves sign confusion. When CP > SP, it's a loss situation. When SP > CP, it's profit. Always check this relationship before applying formulas. Exam Strategy: Start with identifying what's given and what's asked. Write down CP, SP clearly. Apply the basic formula first, then use shortcuts for speed. Double-check by working backwards - if you found CP, calculate SP using the given profit% to verify your answer.

Key Points to Remember

  • Profit occurs when Selling Price > Cost Price, Loss occurs when Cost Price > Selling Price
  • Profit% and Loss% are always calculated on Cost Price, never on Selling Price
  • Quick formula: SP = CP × (100 ± gain%)/100 where + for profit, - for loss
  • Shortcut: When profit% equals loss% in two transactions, overall result is always loss
  • CP calculation trick: CP = SP/(1 + profit%/100) or CP = SP/(1 - loss%/100)
  • For successive discounts or profits, multiply the factors: (1±%/100)
  • Break-even point means SP = CP, so profit = 0 and loss = 0
  • Cost Price includes all expenses like transport, taxes, and overhead costs
  • Marked Price is different from Selling Price when discount is given
  • Overall loss% in equal profit-loss case = (profit%)²/100

Exam-Specific Tips

  • When profit% = loss% = x%, then overall loss% = x²/100
  • If an article is sold at cost price after giving x% discount, then markup% = x/(100-x) × 100
  • For 2 articles with equal CP, one sold at x% profit and other at x% loss, overall loss = 2x²/(100)²
  • When SP of x articles = CP of y articles, profit% = (y-x)/x × 100
  • If CP of A is x% more than CP of B, then CP of B is x/(100+x) × 100% less than A
  • Selling price formula: SP = MP × (100-discount%)/100 where MP is Marked Price
  • For successive profits of a% and b%, overall profit% = a + b + ab/100
  • Break-even occurs when SP = CP, meaning profit percentage = 0%
Practice MCQs

Basic Profit & Loss — Practice Questions

55graded MCQs · easy to hard · full solution & trap analysis · showing 20 of 55

All MCQs →
Practice 1easy

A shopkeeper marks an article at ₹500. He offers a discount of 10% and still makes a profit of 25%. What is the cost price of the article?

Practice 2easy

A shopkeeper buys a watch for ₹800 and sells it for ₹1000. What is his profit percentage?

Practice 3easy

If a shopkeeper sells an item for ₹180 and makes a loss of 10%, what is the cost price of the item?

Practice 4easy

A book is sold for ₹240 at a loss of 20%. What was the cost price of the book?

Practice 5easy

A retailer buys pens at ₹12 per pen and sells them at ₹15 per pen. If he sells 200 pens, what is his profit percentage?

Practice 6easy

A fruit seller buys apples at ₹10 per dozen and sells them at ₹15 per dozen. If he sells 60 dozen apples, what is his profit percentage?

Practice 7easy

A shopkeeper buys a shirt for ₹400 and sells it for ₹520. What is his profit percentage?

Practice 8easy

A trader buys 50 kg of rice at ₹40 per kg and sells it at ₹50 per kg. What is the total profit?

Practice 9easy

A shopkeeper buys a pen for ₹12 and sells it for ₹15. What is his profit percentage?

Practice 10easy

A vendor buys oranges at ₹5 per dozen and sells them at ₹0.50 per orange. What is his profit percentage?

Practice 11easy

A merchant purchases a book for ₹80 and wants to make a profit of 40%. At what price should he sell the book?

Practice 12easy

A vendor sells oranges at ₹5 per orange. If he incurs a loss of 20%, what was the cost price per orange?

Practice 13easy

A trader buys 50 kg of rice at ₹20 per kg and sells it at ₹24 per kg. What is the total profit?

Practice 14easy

A shopkeeper buys a pen for ₹12 and sells it for ₹15. What is his profit percentage?

Practice 15easy

A vendor sells oranges at ₹60 per dozen and incurs a loss of 20%. What was the cost price per dozen?

Practice 16easy

A merchant purchases a shirt for ₹400 and wants to make a profit of 35%. At what price should he sell the shirt?

Practice 17easy

A merchant purchases a book for ₹250 and wants to make a profit of 40%. At what price should he sell the book?

Practice 18easy

If a book is sold for ₹360 at a loss of 10%, what is its Cost Price?

Practice 19easy

A merchant purchases 5 kg of rice at ₹40 per kg and sells the entire quantity at ₹50 per kg. What is the total profit earned?

Practice 20medium

A book is sold for ₹450 at a loss of 10%. At what price should it be sold to make a profit of 20%?

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60-Second Revision — Basic Profit & Loss

  • Remember: Profit% = (SP-CP)/CP × 100, always on cost price base
  • Formula: CP = SP/(1 ± gain%/100) for quick reverse calculations
  • Trap: Never calculate profit percentage on selling price
  • Shortcut: Equal profit-loss case always gives overall loss = (%)²/100
  • Quick check: SP > CP means profit, CP > SP means loss
  • Pattern: Successive changes multiply as (1±%/100) factors
  • Memory aid: Cost price is the denominator in all percentage calculations
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