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Topic Profit and Loss
Asked 4 times across 2 UPSC exams over 8 years (2015–2023), peaking in 2015.
Key insights
- Most tested in EPFO — 2 of 4 PYQs
- Most asked in 2015
- Recurs across 3 years (2015–2023)
How it travelled across exams
First appearance in each exam — the same idea, reframed.
EPFO 2015 → CISF 2021
How the concept evolved
Long-running — most appearances (2 of 4) predate 2016, and it still returns.
Related concepts
Ideas UPSC tests alongside this one — keep exploring.
Sample questions
You've seen the pattern — here are a few of the actual PYQs.
CISF2023
A businessman lost 20% of his goods due to rain. The remaining items were sold at a profit of 50%. The businessman earned an overall profit of :
- A 10%
- B 30%
- C 20% ✓
- D 40%
✓ Correct answer: (C)
Quantitative Aptitude › Arithmetic
CISF2021
If a shopkeeper sells an item 'A' at 20% profit and item 'B' at 25% profit, then the total profit made is ₹ 120. If he sells item 'A' at 25% profit and item 'B' at 20% profit, then the total profit made is ₹ 105. What is the sum of the cost price of items 'A' and 'B' ?
- A ₹ 300
- B ₹ 400
- C ₹ 500 ✓
- D ₹ 600
✓ Correct answer: (C)
Quantitative Aptitude › Arithmetic
EPFO2015
A man buys apples at a certain price per dozen and sells them at 8 times that price per hundred. What percentage does he gain or lose ?
- A 4% profit
- B 6% profit
- C 4% loss ✓
- D 6% loss
✓ Correct answer: (C)
Quantitative Aptitude › Arithmetic
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