Core ConceptRead this first — the foundation of the topic
Simple Partnership
All partners invest for the same time period
2
Compound Partnership
Partners invest for different time periods
Core
Formula BlockMemorise — at least one formula appears in every paper
For Simple Partnership: Profit Ratio = Investment Ratio
For Compound Partnership: Profit Ratio = (Investment × Time) Ratio
If A invests Rs. X for T1 months and B invests Rs. Y for T2 months:
Profit sharing ratio = (X × T1) : (Y × T2)
Key Rules:
- Partners share profit in the ratio of their investments
- Time factor only matters when investment periods are different
- Total profit is distributed among all partners
- Working partners may get additional salary before profit distribution
Exam PatternsWhat examiners ask — read before attempting PYQs
SSC CGL typically asks questions on profit sharing ratios, finding individual profits, or calculating investment amounts. Common question types include finding one partner's share when total profit is given, or determining investment ratios from given profit shares.
ShortcutsUse these to save 30–60 seconds per question
#1 - The Multiplier Method:
When dealing with different time periods, multiply each investment by its time period. This gives you the effective investment. Then find the ratio directly.
Shortcut Trick #2 - The Unity Method:
If you know the ratio and one partner's actual profit, find the value of one unit by dividing that partner's profit by their ratio share.
Then multiply by other partners' ratio shares.
Worked ExampleSolve this step-by-step before moving on
Find ratio
Ratio = 2,40,000 : 2,40,000 : 2,40,000 = 1:1:1
3
Step 3
Calculate A's share
A's share = (1/3) × 61,800 = Rs. 20,600
Worked Example 2:
P and Q enter into partnership. P invests Rs. 40,000 and Q invests Rs. 60,000. After 6 months, P withdraws Rs. 10,000. If the profit at year-end is Rs. 33,000, find Q's share.
1
Step 1
Calculate P's effective investment
First 6 months: 40,000 × 6 = 2,40,000
Next 6 months: 30,000 × 6 = 1,80,000
P's total = 4,20,000
2
Step 2
Calculate Q's effective investment
Q invests for full year: 60,000 × 12 = 7,20,000
3
Step 3
Find ratio
P : Q = 4,20,000 : 7,20,000 = 7:12
4
Step 4
Calculate Q's share
Q's share = (12/19) × 33,000 = Rs. 20,842 (approximately)
Shortcut Trick #3 - The Percentage Method:
If working with percentages, convert everything to the same base (usually 100) before calculating ratios.
Exam TrapsCommon mistakes students make — avoid these
Alert:
The #1 mistake students make is forgetting to account for time differences in compound partnerships. Many students only consider the investment amounts and ignore the time factor completely. Always check if all partners invested for the same duration before applying simple partnership formulas.
When time periods differ, you MUST multiply investment by time to get the effective investment ratio.
Key Points to Remember
Partnership profit sharing is always based on investment ratios when time periods are equal
For different time periods, multiply investment amount by time duration to get effective investment
Simple Partnership formula: Profit Ratio = Investment Ratio
Compound Partnership formula: Profit Ratio = (Investment × Time) Ratio
Quick ratio trick: If investments are in ratio a:b, profits will also be in ratio a:b for equal time
Working partners may receive salary first before profit distribution among all partners
Time factor formula: Effective Investment = Amount × Number of months invested
Unity method: Find one unit value by dividing known profit by its ratio share
Always convert time periods to same unit (months or years) before calculation
Total profit equals sum of all individual partner shares in the given ratio
Exam-Specific Tips
Partnership problems appear in 1-2 questions every year in SSC CGL Tier-I
Investment ratio 2:3:4 means partners get profits in exactly same ratio 2:3:4
If A invests for 12 months and B for 6 months with equal amounts, A gets double profit share
Working partner salary is deducted from total profit before distribution
Compound partnership formula: (A × T1) : (B × T2) where A,B are investments and T1,T2 are time periods
Simple partnership applies only when all investment periods are identical
Partnership profit sharing follows the same rules as direct proportion in mathematics
Practice MCQs
Partnership — Practice Questions
3graded MCQs · easy to hard · full solution & trap analysis
A, B, and C enter into a partnership. A invests ₹4,000, B invests ₹6,000, and C invests ₹5,000. At the end of the year, the profit is ₹3,000. How much profit should B receive?
Practice 2medium
A, B, and C enter into a partnership. A invests ₹12,000 for 8 months, B invests ₹15,000 for 10 months, and C invests ₹18,000 for 6 months. If the total profit at the end of the year is ₹9,100, what is C's share of the profit?
Practice 3hard
A, B, and C enter into a partnership. A invests ₹45,000 for 8 months, B invests ₹60,000 for 10 months, and C invests ₹50,000 for 12 months. At the end of the year, the profit is ₹47,200. If B's share of profit is ₹16,000, find the difference between A's and C's shares of profit.
60-Second Revision — Partnership
Remember: Multiply investment by time period for compound partnerships
Formula: Profit Ratio = (Investment × Time) Ratio for different time periods
Trap: Never ignore time differences - always check if periods are equal
Quick check: Total of individual shares should equal total profit given
Shortcut: Use unity method when one partner's actual profit is known
Pattern: Investment ratio and profit ratio are always identical in simple partnerships