Quantitative aptitude
- When an article is sold at a 20% discount on its marked price, the seller loses 4%. What would his profit percent be if he sold it at the marked price? Answer: A. 20% Answer: (A) 20% 0.8 × MP = 0.96 × CP, so MP = 0.96/0.8 CP = 1.2 CP. Selling at MP gives a profit of 20%. 1
- A dealer marks his goods 40% above the cost price and allows a discount of 25%. He also uses an 800 g weight in place of 1 kg. What is his overall profit percent? Answer: A. 31.25% Answer: (A) 31.25% Let CP = ₹100 per kg. MP = 140, SP after 25% discount = ₹105 for every \"kg\" he sells. But he gives on... 1
- A sells an article to B at a profit of 25%, and B sells it to C at a profit of 20%. C pays ₹225 more than A's cost price. What is A's cost price? Answer: A. ₹450 Answer: (A) ₹450 C pays 1.25 × 1.2 = 1.5 times A's CP. The extra 0.5 × CP = ₹225, so CP = ₹450. 1
- A man buys a certain number of oranges at 3 for ₹5 and the same number at 2 for ₹5. He sells all of them at 5 for ₹12. What is his profit percent? Answer: A. 15.2% Answer: (A) 15.2% Take 6 oranges of each kind (LCM of 3 and 2). Cost = 2 × 5 + 3 × 5 = ₹25 for 12 oranges. SP of 12 oranges... 1
- A trader sells three-fourths of his stock at a profit of 20% and the rest at a loss of 10%. What is his overall profit percent? Answer: C. 12.5% Answer: (C) 12.5% Shortcut (weighted average): 3/4 × 20 + 1/4 × (-10) = 15 - 2.5 = 12.5% . Plain: stock costing ₹100 → ₹75... 1
- An article bought for ₹640 is sold for ₹720. What is the profit percent? Answer: C. 12.5% Answer: (C) 12.5% Profit = ₹80. Profit% = 80/640 × 100 = 12.5% . Trap: 80/720 gives 11 1/9%; profit% is always on the cost... 1
- An article costing ₹1,200 is sold at a loss of 15%. What is the selling price? Answer: A. ₹1020 Answer: (A) ₹1020 SP = 85% of 1200 = ₹1020. 1
- The marked price of a jacket is ₹2,500. A discount of 12% is given. What is the selling price? Answer: D. ₹2200 Answer: (D) ₹2200 Discount = 12% of 2500 = ₹300. SP = 2500 − 300 = ₹2200. 1
- By selling an article for ₹1,150, a shopkeeper gains 15%. What is its cost price? Answer: C. ₹1000 Answer: (C) ₹1000 Shortcut: CP = SP ÷ 1.15 = 1150 ÷ 1.15 = ₹1000. Trap: taking 15% off ₹1,150 gives ₹977.50, which is wrong... 1
- What single discount is equal to two successive discounts of 20% and 10%? Answer: B. 28% Answer: (B) 28% Shortcut: a + b - ab/100 = 20 + 10 - 2 = 28% . Plain: 100 → 80 → 72, a total discount of 28%. 1
- The cost price of 12 articles equals the selling price of 10 articles. What is the profit percent? Answer: B. 20% Answer: (B) 20% Shortcut: profit% = 12 - 10/10 × 100 = 20% (divide by the number sold). Plain: let each CP = ₹1. SP of 10 = ₹... 1
- A shopkeeper sells rice at cost price but uses a 900 g weight instead of 1 kg. What is his profit percent? Answer: B. 111/9 % Answer: (B) 111/9 % Shortcut: profit% = error/true weight - error × 100 = 100/900 × 100 = 111/9% . He gives 900 g but cha... 1
- A vendor buys pens at 5 for ₹40 and sells them at 4 for ₹40. What is his profit percent? Answer: B. 25% Answer: (B) 25% CP of one pen = ₹8, SP of one pen = ₹10. Profit% = 2/8 × 100 = 25% . Shortcut: same money, so profit% = (5 −... 1
- A shopkeeper marks his goods 30% above the cost price and gives a discount of 10%. What is his profit percent? Answer: A. 17% Answer: (A) 17% Shortcut: 30 - 10 - 30 × 10/100 = 17% . Plain: CP 100 → MP 130 → SP 117. Profit = 17%. 1
- In an exam, 65% of the students passed in English, 55% passed in Maths and 15% failed in both. If 245 students passed in both subjects, how many students took the exam? Answer: D. 700 Answer: (D) 700 Passed in at least one = 100 − 15 = 85%. Passed in both = 65 + 55 − 85 = 35%. 35% = 245, so total = 245 × 100... 1
- In an election between two candidates, 20% of the voters on the list did not vote and 500 votes were invalid. The winner got 55% of the valid votes and won by 1,200 votes. How many voters were on the list? Answer: B. 15,625 Answer: (B) 15,625 Margin = 55% − 45% = 10% of valid votes = 1,200, so valid votes = 12,000. Votes cast = 12,000 + 500 inv... 1
- If the numerator of a fraction is increased by 20% and its denominator is decreased by 10%, the fraction becomes \(\frac{16}{21}\). What is the original fraction? Answer: C. 4/7 Answer: (C) 4/7 Shortcut: new fraction = original × 1.2/0.9 = original × 4/3 . Original = 16/21 × 3/4 = 4/7 . Check: 4 × 1.2/... 1
- An ore contains 25% of an alloy, and the alloy contains 90% iron. The rest of the ore has no iron. How many kg of ore are needed to get 45 kg of pure iron? Answer: C. 200 kg Answer: (C) 200 kg Iron in the ore = 90% of 25% = 22.5%. Ore needed = 45 ÷ 0.225 = 200 kg. 1
- What is 35% of 480? Answer: D. 168 Answer: (D) 168 Shortcut: 35% = 10% × 3.5. 10% of 480 = 48, so 35% = 48 × 3.5 = 168. Plain: 35/100 × 480 = 168 . 1
- 45 is what percent of 250? Answer: C. 18% Answer: (C) 18% Shortcut: 250 × 4 = 1000, so 45 × 4 = 180 out of 1000 = 18%. Plain: 45/250 × 100 = 18% . 1
- 12.5% of a number is 75. What is the number? Answer: C. 600 Answer: (C) 600 Shortcut: 12.5% = 1/8 . So the number = 75 × 8 = 600. Plain: number × 0.125 = 75, so number = 75 ÷ 0.125 = 60... 1
- If 1250 is increased by 24%, what is the new value? Answer: B. 1550 Answer: (B) 1550 Shortcut: multiply by 1.24 directly: 1250 × 1.24 = 1550. Plain: 24% of 1250 = 300; 1250 + 300 = 1550. 1
- A's salary is 25% more than B's salary. By what percent is B's salary less than A's? Answer: A. 20% Answer: (A) 20% Shortcut: r/100+r × 100 = 25/125 × 100 = 20% . Plain: let B = 100, then A = 125. B is less by 25 on a base of... 1
- The price of sugar rises by 20%. By what percent must a family reduce its consumption so that its expenditure on sugar stays the same? Answer: C. 162/3 % Answer: (C) 162/3 % Shortcut: reduction = r/100+r × 100 = 20/120 × 100 = 162/3% . Plain: price 100 → 120. To keep spendin... 1