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SSC CHSL Basic Percentage

Study Material — 1 PYQs (2018–2018) · Concept Notes · Shortcuts

SSC CHSL Basic Percentage is a frequently tested subtopic — 1 previous year questions from 2018–2018 papers are included below with concept notes, key rules and shortcut tricks.

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2018–2018
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10 Key Points
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Previous Year Questions

SSC CHSL Basic Percentage — Past Exam Questions

1 questions from actual SSC CHSL papers · all shown free · click option to reveal solution

Exam Q 12018Previous Year Pattern

A shopkeeper marks his goods at 40% above the cost price. If he gives a discount of 15% on the marked price, what is his profit percentage?

Concept Notes

Basic Percentage— Rules & Concept

Core ConceptRead this first — the foundation of the topic

Basic Percentage is the foundation of all percentage problems in SSC CGL. It measures parts per hundred. The word 'percent' comes from Latin 'per centum' meaning 'by hundred'. Understanding this concept is crucial as it appears in 2-3 questions in every SSC CGL paper. Core Concept: Percentage is a way to express a fraction with denominator 100. When you say 25%, it means 25 out of 100 parts. Think of it as cutting a pie into 100 equal slices and taking some of them.

Key RulesCore rules you must know cold

First, percentage is always calculated on a base value. Second, 100% means the complete quantity. Third, percentages can exceed 100% when the part is larger than the whole. Fourth, percentage change and percentage of a number are different concepts.

Formula BlockMemorise — at least one formula appears in every paper
• Percentage = (Part/Whole) × 100
• Part = (Percentage/100) × Whole
• Whole = (Part × 100)/Percentage
• Percentage to Fraction: x% = x/100
• Percentage to Decimal: x% = x/100 = 0.0x
Exam PatternsWhat examiners ask — read before attempting PYQs
Powerful Shortcuts for Quick Calculation

Shortcut 1 - Common Percentage Conversions: • 50% = 1/2, 25% = 1/4, 20% = 1/5, 10% = 1/10 • 33.33% = 1/3, 66.67% = 2/3, 12.5% = 1/8, 16.67% = 1/6 Memorize these to solve faster without calculations

Shortcut 2 - Quick Mental Math Trick

• For 15% of any number: Take 10% + 5% • For 35% of any number: Take 30% + 5% • Break complex percentages into easier chunks

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

Convert percentage to decimal: 24% = 24/100 = 0.24

2
Step 2

Multiply: 850 × 0.24

3
Step 3

Break it down: 850 × 0.24 = 850 × (20/100 + 4/100)

4
Step 4

Calculate: 850 × 0.20 = 170, and 850 × 0.04 = 34

5
Step 5

Add: 170 + 34 = 204 Answer: 24% of 850 = 204 Worked Example 2: What percentage is 156 of 240?

1
Step 1

Use formula: Percentage = (Part/Whole) × 100

2
Step 2

Substitute values: (156/240) × 100

3
Step 3

Simplify fraction: 156/240 = 13/20 (dividing by 12)

4
Step 4

Convert to decimal: 13/20 = 0.65

5
Step 5

Multiply by 100: 0.65 × 100 = 65% Answer: 156 is 65% of 240 Shortcut 3 - The Unitary Method for Percentages: If x% = y, then 1% = y/x, and 100% = (y × 100)/x This eliminates complex calculations in competitive exams.

Exam TrapsCommon mistakes students make — avoid these

- The #1 Trap: Students confuse 'percentage of' with 'percentage more than'. For example, if A is 20% of B, it does NOT mean A is 20% more than B. '20% of B' means A = 0.20 × B. But '20% more than B' means A = B + 0.20 × B = 1.20 × B.

This confusion costs precious marks in exams. Another frequent error is forgetting to convert percentage back to the required form. Always check if the answer needs to be in percentage, decimal, or fraction format.

Key Points to Remember

  • Percentage means parts per hundred, always calculated on a base value
  • Quick conversion: 50% = 1/2, 25% = 1/4, 20% = 1/5, 10% = 1/10
  • Formula: Percentage = (Part/Whole) × 100
  • Memorize: 33.33% = 1/3, 66.67% = 2/3, 12.5% = 1/8
  • To find x% of a number, multiply the number by x/100
  • Shortcut: Break complex percentages into easier chunks (15% = 10% + 5%)
  • Part = (Percentage/100) × Whole gives the actual quantity
  • Whole = (Part × 100)/Percentage when base value is unknown
  • Never confuse 'percentage of' with 'percentage more than'
  • Always check if final answer needs percentage, decimal, or fraction form

Exam-Specific Tips

  • 100% represents the complete quantity or whole
  • 0.5% equals 1/200 in fractional form
  • Percentage formula: (Part/Whole) × 100
  • 12.5% conversion: 12.5/100 = 1/8
  • 16.67% (rounded) equals exactly 1/6
  • 37.5% equals 3/8 in simplest fraction form
  • To convert percentage to decimal: divide by 100
  • 87.5% equals 7/8 when expressed as a fraction
Practice MCQs

Basic Percentage — Practice Questions

26graded MCQs · easy to hard · full solution & trap analysis · showing 20 of 26

All MCQs →
Practice 1easy

A shopkeeper marks a product at ₹500. He offers a discount of 15% on the marked price. What is the selling price?

Practice 2easy

In an examination, 65% of students passed. If 520 students passed, how many students appeared in total?

Practice 3easy

A student scored 72 marks out of 120 in an exam. What is the percentage of marks obtained?

Practice 4easy

If 15% of a number is 45, what is the number?

Practice 5easy

A shopkeeper bought an item for ₹200 and sold it at a profit of 35%. What is the selling price?

Practice 6easy

A shirt costs ₹800. Its price is increased by 20%. What is the new price?

Practice 7easy

What is 25% of 480?

Practice 8easy

A book's price was reduced from ₹500 to ₹400. What is the percentage decrease?

Practice 9easy

If 45% of a number is 360, what is 20% of that number?

Practice 10easy

In an exam, 65% of students passed. If 260 students passed, how many students took the exam?

Practice 11medium

A student scored 72 marks out of 120 in an exam. What percentage of marks did the student obtain?

Practice 12medium

A product's price is first increased by 25%, then decreased by 20%. What is the net percentage change in the price?

Practice 13medium

A shopkeeper marks an item at ₹500. He offers a discount of 20% on the marked price. What is the selling price of the item?

Practice 14medium

In an examination, a student scored 72 marks out of 120. What is the percentage of marks obtained?

Practice 15medium

The price of a commodity increases from ₹400 to ₹500. What is the percentage increase in price?

Practice 16medium

A student's marks increased by 15% from last year. If the student scored 460 marks this year, what were the marks scored last year?

Practice 17medium

A shopkeeper buys an item for ₹800 and wants to make a profit of 30%. At what price should he mark the item if he offers a 10% discount on the marked price?

Practice 18medium

A shopkeeper marks an item at ₹500. He offers a discount of 15% on the marked price. What is the selling price of the item?

Practice 19medium

In a school, 40% of students are boys. If there are 480 boys in the school, what is the total number of students?

Practice 20medium

The price of a commodity increased by 25% and then decreased by 20%. What is the net percentage change in the price?

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60-Second Revision — Basic Percentage

  • Remember: Percentage = (Part/Whole) × 100 for all basic problems
  • Formula: Part = (Percentage/100) × Whole for finding quantities
  • Trap: 'x% of y' ≠ 'x% more than y' - completely different meanings
  • Shortcut: Use fraction conversions (25% = 1/4) for faster calculations
  • Quick check: 50% should always give exactly half the original number
  • Mental math: Break percentages (15% = 10% + 5%) for speed
  • Always verify if answer format should be percentage, decimal, or fraction
Percentage Change→
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