Profit & Loss Notes for SSC CGL
Profit and Loss is one of the most important topics in SSC CGL, CHSL, MTS, CPO, GD and Railway exams. Questions are frequently asked on Profit %, Loss %, Discount, Marked Price and Successive Discounts.
1. Basic Definitions
- Cost Price (CP): Price at which an article is purchased.
- Selling Price (SP): Price at which an article is sold.
- Marked Price (MP): Price printed on the article.
- Discount: Reduction given on marked price.
2. Profit and Loss Formula
3. Solved Example - Profit
Question:
A shopkeeper buys a pen for ₹80 and sells it for ₹100. Find profit percentage.
Profit = 100 − 80 = ₹20
Profit % = (20 ÷ 80) × 100
Profit % = 25%
4. Solved Example - Loss
Question:
A watch is bought for ₹500 and sold for ₹450. Find loss percentage.
Loss = 500 − 450 = ₹50
Loss % = (50 ÷ 500) × 100
Loss % = 10%
5. Finding Selling Price
6. Finding Cost Price
7. Discount Formula
8. Solved Example - Discount
Marked Price = ₹1000
Selling Price = ₹850
Discount = 1000 − 850 = ₹150
Discount % = (150 ÷ 1000) × 100
Discount % = 15%
9. SSC Important Tricks
- Profit is always calculated on Cost Price.
- Loss is always calculated on Cost Price.
- 20% profit means SP = 120% of CP.
- 20% loss means SP = 80% of CP.
- Successive discounts are not added directly.
- 25% profit means ratio SP : CP = 5 : 4.
- 20% loss means ratio SP : CP = 4 : 5.
10. SSC Previous Year Questions
Question 1
A trader sells an item at 20% profit. If CP is ₹500, find SP.
SP = 500 × 120 / 100
SP = ₹600
Question 2
A shopkeeper sells an item for ₹720 at 10% loss. Find Cost Price.
CP = 720 × 100 / 90
CP = ₹800