ZE
ZESTEXAM

SSC CPO Successive Profit & Loss

Study Material · Concept Notes · Shortcuts

This page covers SSC CPO Successive Profit & Loss with complete concept notes, 15 graded practice MCQs, key points and exam-specific tips. Free to study.

0 PYQs
none yet
15 Practice
MCQs
8 Key Points
to remember
Free
no login needed
Take Free Mock →Full Practice Set
Also for:CGLCHSLMTSGD
PYQs
0
Practice
15
Key Points
8
Access
Free
Concept Notes

Successive Profit & Loss— Rules & Concept

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

When profits and losses are applied one after another, we cannot simply add or subtract the percentages. Each percentage change acts on the new value, not the original price

Key Rules

If successive changes of a% and b% occur, the net effect formula is: Net% = a + b + (ab)/100. Use positive values for profit and negative values for loss. For three successive changes a%, b%, c%, first find net effect of any two, then apply the third change.

Formula BlockMemorise — at least one formula appears in every paper
• Two successive changes: Net% = a + b + (ab)/100
• Selling price after successive changes: SP = CP × (100+a)/100 × (100+b)/100
• Overall profit/loss = Net% of original cost price
Exam PatternsWhat examiners ask — read before attempting PYQs

Questions typically involve 2-3 successive transactions. Common scenarios include buying-selling chains, discount followed by profit, or multiple markups. SSC often asks for overall profit/loss percentage or final selling price.

ShortcutsUse these to save 30–60 seconds per question

For quick calculation, convert percentages to multipliers. 20% profit = 1.2, 10% loss = 0.9. Multiply all factors: 1.2 × 0.9 = 1.08 = 8% overall profit.

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

Identify the changes First transaction: +20% (profit) Second transaction: -10% (loss)

2
Step 2

Apply the formula Net% = a + b + (ab)/100 Net% = 20 + (-10) + (20 × (-10))/100 Net% = 20 - 10 - 200/100 Net% = 10 - 2 = 8%

3
Step 3

Verify using multiplier method Final value = 1000 × 1.20 × 0.90 = 1000 × 1.08 = 1080 Profit = 1080 - 1000 = 80 Profit% = 80/1000 × 100 = 8% Answer: 8% overall profit Alternate Method using SP calculation: After first sale: 1000 × 120/100 = 1200 After second sale: 1200 × 90/100 = 1080 Net profit = 1080 - 1000 = 80 Profit% = 8%

Exam TrapsCommon mistakes students make — avoid these

Students often add percentages directly (20% - 10% = 10%) ignoring the compounding effect. Always remember that each subsequent percentage works on the changed value, not the original price. The interaction term (ab)/100 is crucial and frequently overlooked.

Key Points to Remember

  • Successive changes cannot be added directly due to compounding effect
  • Formula for two changes: Net% = a + b + (ab)/100
  • Use positive values for profit, negative for loss in the formula
  • Multiplier method: Convert percentages to decimals and multiply
  • Each subsequent change acts on the new value, not original price
  • Interaction term (ab)/100 is often the key to correct answers
  • Three changes: Find net of first two, then apply third change
  • Final amount = Original × (100+a)/100 × (100+b)/100

Exam-Specific Tips

  • Net percentage formula for successive changes: a + b + (ab)/100
  • 20% profit converts to multiplier 1.2, 25% loss converts to 0.75
  • For equal successive profits of x%, net effect is x + x + x²/100
  • Two successive discounts of 10% each give net discount of 19%
  • Successive changes of +50% and -20% result in +20% net change
  • Three successive profits of 10% each give net profit of 33.1%
  • Formula remains same whether dealing with CP, SP, or marked price
Practice MCQs

Successive Profit & Loss — Practice Questions

15graded MCQs · easy to hard · full solution & trap analysis

All MCQs →
Practice 1easy

A person buys an article for ₹1200 and sells it at a loss of 10%. He then buys another article for ₹1500 and sells it at a profit of 20%. What is his overall profit or loss?

Practice 2easy

A shopkeeper buys an item at ₹500. He marks it up by 20% and then gives a discount of 10% on the marked price. What is his profit percentage?

Practice 3easy

A merchant sells an article at a loss of 15%. If he had sold it for ₹100 more, he would have made a profit of 5%. What is the cost price of the article?

Practice 4easy

A trader buys goods at ₹2000 and sells them at a profit of 25%. He then buys another batch at the selling price of the first batch and sells it at a loss of 20%. What is his overall profit or loss percentage?

Practice 5easy

A shopkeeper marks an item 40% above its cost price. During a sale, he offers a discount of 25% on the marked price. If the cost price is ₹800, what is the selling price?

Practice 6easy

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

Practice 7medium

A vendor buys apples at ₹40 per dozen. He sells 80% of the apples at ₹5 per apple and the remaining at ₹3 per apple. What is his overall profit or loss percentage?

Practice 8medium

A shopkeeper buys an item at ₹500. He marks it up by 40% and then offers a discount of 10% on the marked price. Later, he sells the remaining stock at a further discount of 20% on the already discounted price. What is his overall profit percentage on the final sale?

Practice 9medium

A trader buys goods at ₹2000 per unit. In the first transaction, he sells 60% of the stock at 30% profit. In the second transaction, he sells 50% of the remaining stock at 10% loss. The rest he sells at 20% profit. What is his overall profit percentage?

Practice 10medium

A shopkeeper marks up goods by 50% above cost price. He gives a discount of 10% on the marked price to the first customer and sells at that price. The second customer buys the same item at a further 15% discount on the price paid by the first customer. What is the loss or profit percentage on the second sale compared to the cost price?

Practice 11medium

A retailer buys 100 items at ₹50 each. He marks them up by 60%. He sells 70 items at the marked price and the remaining 30 items at 25% discount on the marked price. What is his overall profit percentage?

Practice 12hard

A retailer marks goods at 80% above cost price. He offers a discount of 30% during a sale. Later, he increases the marked price by 50% and offers a discount of 20%. If he sells 100 units in the first sale and 150 units in the second sale, what is his overall profit percentage across both sales?

Practice 13hard

A trader marks goods at 60% above cost price. He gives a discount of 25% on the marked price. He then sells the remaining stock at a discount of 40% on the marked price. If the ratio of goods sold in first and second phase is 3:2, what is his overall profit percentage?

Practice 14hard

A shopkeeper buys 100 items at ₹50 each. He sells 60 items at a profit of 30%. For the remaining 40 items, he reduces the cost price by 20% and sells them at a profit of 25% on this reduced cost. What is his overall profit percentage?

Practice 15hard

A shopkeeper buys goods at ₹100 per unit. He marks up the price by 50%, then offers a discount of 20% on the marked price. Later, he increases the marked price by 25% and offers a discount of 10%. What is his overall profit percentage across both transactions if he sells one unit in each phase?

60-Second Revision — Successive Profit & Loss

  • Remember: Net% = a + b + (ab)/100 for two successive changes
  • Trick: Use multipliers for faster calculation - multiply all factors
  • Formula: SP = CP × (100+a)/100 × (100+b)/100
  • Trap: Never add successive percentages directly
  • Method: For three changes, find net of any two first, then apply third
  • Quick check: Positive result means profit, negative means loss
←False Weight / Fraudulent Dealer
Studied the notes? Now test yourself
See how Successive Profit & Loss appears in the real SSC CPO paper
Full timed mock · Instant All-India percentile · Free
Start Free Mock →Practice Panel
✓ Free forever for basic prep✓ No app download✓ Real exam-pattern questions✓ 12,000+ aspirants
Test Successive Profit & Loss under exam conditions
Free SSC CPO mock · instant rank · no login
Free Mock →