Profit and Loss aptitude questions
Profit and Loss questions are part of the Quant section of placement aptitude tests. Write cost price and selling price first, then attach the percentage to cost price. Below are 5 worked examples with the answer and the working; practise ten fresh ones or take a timed mock when you are ready.
Example 1. Two articles are sold at the same price, one at a profit of 50% and the other at a loss of 50%. What is the overall loss percent?
- A. 0%
- B. 25% (answer)
- C. 28%
- D. 50%
When the selling prices are equal and the gain and loss percents are the same, there is always a loss of x^2/100 percent. Here x = 50, so the loss is 50^2/100 = 25%.
Example 2. An article bought for Rs 100 is sold for Rs 110. What is the profit percent?
- A. 10% (answer)
- B. -10%
- C. 20%
- D. 9.1%
Profit = Rs 110 - Rs 100 = Rs 10. Profit percent is always on cost price: (10/100) * 100 = 10%.
Example 3. By selling an article for Rs 750 a shopkeeper makes a profit of 25%. What is the cost price?
- A. Rs 600 (answer)
- B. Rs 625
- C. Rs 1000
- D. Rs 187.5
Selling price is (100 + 25)% of cost, so cost = Rs 750 * 100/(100 + 25) = Rs 600.
Example 4. By selling an article for Rs 1380 a shopkeeper makes a profit of 15%. What is the cost price?
- A. Rs 1200 (answer)
- B. Rs 1215
- C. Rs 207
- D. Rs 1623.5
Selling price is (100 + 15)% of cost, so cost = Rs 1380 * 100/(100 + 15) = Rs 1200.
Example 5. An article bought for Rs 500 is sold for Rs 550. What is the profit percent?
- A. 20%
- B. 10% (answer)
- C. 9.1%
- D. -10%
Profit = Rs 550 - Rs 500 = Rs 50. Profit percent is always on cost price: (50/500) * 100 = 10%.
More Quant practice elsewhere: IndiaBIX, GeeksforGeeks. See the 60-day aptitude plan.