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SBI PO Basic Profit & Loss

Study Material — 18 PYQs (2020–2020) · Concept Notes · Shortcuts

SBI PO Basic Profit & Loss is a frequently tested subtopic — 18 previous year questions from 2020–2020 papers are included below with concept notes, key rules and shortcut tricks.

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Previous Year Questions

SBI PO Basic Profit & Loss — Past Exam Questions

18 questions from actual SBI PO papers · all shown free · click option to reveal solution

Exam Q 12020Previous Year Pattern

If the Cost Price of an article is ₹800 and the Selling Price is ₹680, what is the loss percentage?

Exam Q 22020Previous Year Pattern

A book is sold for ₹450 at a profit of 25%. What is the Cost Price of the book?

Exam Q 32020Previous Year Pattern

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

Exam Q 42020Previous Year Pattern

A trader purchases 50 kg of rice at ₹30 per kg and sells the entire quantity at ₹35 per kg. What is the total profit?

Exam Q 52020Previous Year Pattern

An item is marked at ₹1200. A shopkeeper gives a discount of 10% and still makes a profit of 20% on the Cost Price. What is the Cost Price of the item?

Exam Q 62020Previous Year Pattern

A merchant buys 100 pens at ₹5 each and sells them at ₹6.50 each. How much total profit does he make?

Exam Q 72020Previous Year Pattern

A merchant sells two items. On the first item, he makes a profit of 30%, and on the second item, he makes a loss of 20%. If the cost price of each item is ₹500, what is his overall profit or loss percentage?

Exam Q 82020Previous Year Pattern

A trader buys 120 kg of rice at ₹25 per kg. He sells 80 kg at ₹32 per kg and the remaining at ₹28 per kg. What is his overall profit percentage?

Exam Q 92020Previous Year Pattern

A book is sold for ₹432 at a profit of 20%. If it were sold for ₹360, what would be the loss or profit percentage?

Exam Q 102020Previous Year Pattern

A shopkeeper marks his goods at 50% above cost price. He gives a discount of 10% on the marked price and further gives a gift worth ₹50 to every customer. If the cost price is ₹400, what is his profit or loss percentage per item?

Exam Q 112020Previous Year Pattern

A vendor buys oranges at ₹8 per dozen. He sells them at ₹1 per orange. If he sells 60 oranges, what is his profit percentage?

Exam Q 122020Previous Year Pattern

A shopkeeper buys a watch for ₹800 and marks it at 60% above the cost price. If he offers a discount of 25% on the marked price, what is his profit percentage?

Exam Q 132020Previous Year Pattern

A merchant sells two items. Item A is sold at 25% profit and Item B is sold at 20% loss. If the cost price of Item A is ₹400 and the cost price of Item B is ₹500, what is the overall profit or loss percentage?

Exam Q 142020Previous Year Pattern

A trader marks goods at 80% above cost price. He gives two successive discounts of 20% and 15% on the marked price. What is his profit or loss percentage?

Exam Q 152020Previous Year Pattern

A shopkeeper bought 150 kg of rice at ₹40 per kg. He sold 100 kg at ₹50 per kg and the remaining rice at ₹35 per kg. What is his overall profit or loss percentage?

Exam Q 162020Previous Year Pattern

A vendor buys apples at ₹60 per dozen. He sells them at ₹6 per apple. If he buys 5 dozen apples and sells all of them, what is his profit percentage?

Exam Q 172020Previous Year Pattern

A retailer buys 200 items at ₹25 each. He marks them up by 40% but finds that 10% of the items are defective and unsaleable. He sells the remaining items at 20% discount on the marked price. What is his overall profit or loss percentage?

Exam Q 182020Previous Year Pattern

A shopkeeper buys goods at ₹80 per unit and marks them up by 60%. He then offers a discount of 25% on the marked price. If he sells 120 units, what is his total profit?

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%

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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