SSC CGL 2027 Profit and Loss Questions with Marked-Price Concepts

Profit and loss is an important arithmetic topic for SSC CGL Quantitative Aptitude. Questions from this chapter often involve cost price, selling price, marked price, discounts, successive discounts and profit or loss percentages. Understanding the relationship between these values helps candidates solve calculation-based questions more accurately.

In this guide, you will learn the essential profit and loss formulas, understand how marked price and discount work, study solved examples and practise SSC CGL-style multiple-choice questions. The methods are useful for building a strong foundation in arithmetic and improving problem-solving speed.

1. Basic Terms in Profit and Loss

Cost Price (CP): The amount paid by a seller to purchase or produce an item.

Selling Price (SP): The amount received when the item is sold.

Marked Price (MP): The price displayed on an item before a discount is applied.

Profit: When the selling price is greater than the cost price, the seller earns a profit.

Loss: When the selling price is lower than the cost price, the seller incurs a loss.

Discount: The reduction offered on the marked price. Discount is generally calculated using the marked price as the base.

2. Important Profit and Loss Formulas

Remember that profit percentage and loss percentage are normally calculated on the cost price, whereas discount percentage is calculated on the marked price. Confusing these bases is a common source of mistakes in competitive examinations.

Selling Price Using Profit or Loss Percentage

• For a profit of x%: SP = CP × (100 + x)/100.
• For a loss of x%: SP = CP × (100 − x)/100.

Example: An item costs ₹800 and is sold at a profit of 15%.

SP = 800 × 115/100 = ₹920.

Answer: ₹920.

3. Understanding Marked Price and Discount

Retailers may mark a product above its cost price and then offer a discount to attract customers. The discount reduces the marked price, but the seller may still earn a profit if the final selling price is higher than the cost price.

Discount percentage formula:

Example: A bag has a marked price of ₹2,000. The shop offers a discount of 15%. Find the selling price.

Discount = 2,000 × 15/100 = ₹300.

Selling price = 2,000 − 300 = ₹1,700.

Answer: ₹1,700.

4. Solved Questions on Marked Price

Example 1: Find the Marked Price

Question: An article is sold for ₹1,440 after a discount of 10%. What is its marked price?

Solution: After a 10% discount, the selling price is 90% of the marked price.

Marked Price = 1,440 × 100/90 = ₹1,600.

Answer: ₹1,600.

Example 2: Profit After Discount

Question: A shopkeeper purchases an item for ₹1,000 and marks it at ₹1,500. If a discount of 20% is offered, find the profit percentage.

Solution:

Discount = 1,500 × 20/100 = ₹300.

Selling Price = 1,500 − 300 = ₹1,200.

Profit = 1,200 − 1,000 = ₹200.

Profit % = (200/1,000) × 100 = 20%.

Answer: 20% profit.

Example 3: Find the Discount Percentage

Question: An item marked at ₹2,500 is sold for ₹2,000. Find the discount percentage.

Solution:

Discount = 2,500 − 2,000 = ₹500.

Discount % = (500/2,500) × 100 = 20%.

Answer: 20% discount.

Example 4: Find the Selling Price at a Profit

Question: The cost price of a chair is ₹1,250. If the seller earns a profit of 12%, find the selling price.

Solution:

SP = 1,250 × 112/100 = ₹1,400.

Answer: ₹1,400.

5. Successive Discounts

Sometimes a shop offers two discounts one after another. The second discount is calculated on the price remaining after the first discount, not on the original marked price.

Example: A product marked at ₹3,000 receives successive discounts of 20% and 10%.

Price after the first discount = 3,000 × 80/100 = ₹2,400.

Price after the second discount = 2,400 × 90/100 = ₹2,160.

Equivalent discount = 20 + 10 − (20 × 10)/100 = 28%.

Answer: The final selling price is ₹2,160, and the total discount is 28%.

6. Important Shortcuts for Competitive Exams

• Assume 100: If the question gives only percentages, taking the cost price or marked price as 100 can simplify the calculation.
• Use multipliers: A 20% discount means multiplying the marked price by 0.80.
• Separate the bases: Use cost price for profit or loss percentage and marked price for discount percentage.
• Calculate in sequence: Apply each successive discount to the updated price.
• Check the final result: A discount lowers the marked price, but it does not automatically mean the seller makes a loss.

7. Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Calculating profit percentage on the selling price instead of the cost price.
2. Calculating discount percentage on the cost price instead of the marked price.
3. Adding successive discounts directly instead of using the equivalent discount formula.
4. Assuming that a high marked price always results in a high profit.
5. Ignoring the order of calculations in multi-step questions.

8. Practice Questions for SSC CGL 2027

Try these questions independently before reading the answer key.

Answer Key with Explanations

1. C) 15%: Profit = ₹920 − ₹800 = ₹120. Profit percentage = 120/800 × 100 = 15%.

2. C) ₹1,800: Selling price = ₹2,400 × 75/100 = ₹1,800.

3. C) ₹1,200: Marked price = ₹1,080 × 100/90 = ₹1,200.

4. C) 20%: Selling price = ₹2,000 × 90/100 = ₹1,800. Profit = ₹300. Profit percentage = 300/1,500 × 100 = 20%.

5. A) 32%: Equivalent discount = 20 + 15 − (20 × 15)/100 = 32%.

9. How to Prepare Profit and Loss for SSC CGL

Start by memorising the basic formulas and understanding the difference between cost price, selling price and marked price. Practise straightforward profit and loss questions before moving to marked-price problems and successive discounts.

Maintain a short formula notebook and solve mixed question sets under a time limit. After each practice session, review incorrect answers and identify whether the mistake came from the formula, the percentage base or the calculation.

The SSC CGL 2027 notification and syllabus should be checked when officially released. This guide supports topic-wise preparation and should not be treated as a guarantee that a particular question will appear in the examination.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How is profit percentage calculated?

Profit percentage is calculated by dividing profit by cost price and multiplying the result by 100.

2. What is marked price?

Marked price is the price displayed on an item before any discount is applied.

3. How do you calculate a successive discount?

Use the formula a + b − (ab/100), or apply each discount one after another to the updated price.

4. Can a seller make a profit after offering a discount?

Yes. A seller makes a profit when the final selling price is greater than the cost price, even if a discount was offered.

5. How can I improve my speed in profit and loss questions?

Practise percentage conversions, learn the core formulas and review your calculation mistakes regularly.