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Question

40 percent of the cost price of an article is equal to the 25 percent of its selling price. What is the profit percentage?

The correct answer is

60 percent

Calculating Profit Percentage from Cost and Selling Price Relationship

The question provides a relationship between the cost price (CP) and the selling price (SP) of an article. We are told that 40 percent of the cost price is equal to 25 percent of its selling price. Our goal is to find the profit percentage based on this information.

Understanding the Relationship

Let's represent the cost price as \( \text{CP} \) and the selling price as \( \text{SP} \). The given condition can be written as an equation:

\( 40\% \text{ of } \text{CP} = 25\% \text{ of } \text{SP} \)

We can convert the percentages to decimals:

\( 0.40 \times \text{CP} = 0.25 \times \text{SP} \)

Finding the Ratio of SP to CP

To find the profit percentage, we need to relate the selling price to the cost price. We can rearrange the equation to find the ratio \( \frac{\text{SP}}{\text{CP}} \):

\( \frac{\text{SP}}{\text{CP}} = \frac{0.40}{0.25} \)

To simplify the fraction, we can multiply the numerator and denominator by 100:

\( \frac{\text{SP}}{\text{CP}} = \frac{40}{25} \)

We can simplify the fraction by dividing both 40 and 25 by their greatest common divisor, which is 5:

\( \frac{\text{SP}}{\text{CP}} = \frac{40 \div 5}{25 \div 5} = \frac{8}{5} \)

So, the selling price is \( \frac{8}{5} \) times the cost price:

\( \text{SP} = \frac{8}{5} \times \text{CP} \)

Calculating the Profit

Profit is the difference between the selling price and the cost price:

\( \text{Profit} = \text{SP} - \text{CP} \)

Substitute the expression for SP in terms of CP:

\( \text{Profit} = \frac{8}{5} \times \text{CP} - \text{CP} \)

To subtract, we can think of \( \text{CP} \) as \( 1 \times \text{CP} \) or \( \frac{5}{5} \times \text{CP} \):

\( \text{Profit} = \left(\frac{8}{5} - 1\right) \times \text{CP} \)

\( \text{Profit} = \left(\frac{8}{5} - \frac{5}{5}\right) \times \text{CP} \)

\( \text{Profit} = \frac{8 - 5}{5} \times \text{CP} \)

\( \text{Profit} = \frac{3}{5} \times \text{CP} \)

The profit is \( \frac{3}{5} \) of the cost price.

Determining the Profit Percentage

The profit percentage is calculated as the ratio of the profit to the cost price, multiplied by 100 percent:

\( \text{Profit Percentage} = \left( \frac{\text{Profit}}{\text{CP}} \right) \times 100\% \)

Substitute the value of Profit we found:

\( \text{Profit Percentage} = \left( \frac{\frac{3}{5} \times \text{CP}}{\text{CP}} \right) \times 100\% \)

The \( \text{CP} \) terms cancel out:

\( \text{Profit Percentage} = \frac{3}{5} \times 100\% \)

Now, we calculate the value:

\( \text{Profit Percentage} = 0.6 \times 100\% \)

\( \text{Profit Percentage} = 60\% \)

Thus, the profit percentage is 60 percent.

Summary of Steps to Calculate Profit Percentage
Step Description Formula/Calculation
1 Write down the given relationship \(0.40 \times \text{CP} = 0.25 \times \text{SP}\)
2 Find the ratio SP/CP \( \frac{\text{SP}}{\text{CP}} = \frac{0.40}{0.25} = \frac{8}{5} \)
3 Express Profit in terms of CP \( \text{Profit} = \text{SP} - \text{CP} = \frac{8}{5}\text{CP} - \text{CP} = \frac{3}{5}\text{CP} \)
4 Calculate Profit Percentage \( \left( \frac{\text{Profit}}{\text{CP}} \right) \times 100\% = \left( \frac{3/5 \times \text{CP}}{\text{CP}} \right) \times 100\% = \frac{3}{5} \times 100\% = 60\% \)

Revision Table: Cost Price, Selling Price, Profit Percentage

Let's quickly review the key terms involved in this profit percentage problem.

  • Cost Price (CP): The price at which an article is purchased.
  • Selling Price (SP): The price at which an article is sold.
  • Profit: Occurs when SP > CP. Profit = SP - CP.
  • Loss: Occurs when SP < CP. Loss = CP - SP.
  • Profit Percentage: Calculated as \( \left( \frac{\text{Profit}}{\text{CP}} \right) \times 100\% \). Always based on CP unless specified otherwise.
  • Loss Percentage: Calculated as \( \left( \frac{\text{Loss}}{\text{CP}} \right) \times 100\% \). Always based on CP unless specified otherwise.

Additional Information on Profit and Loss Concepts

Problems involving cost price, selling price, and profit percentage are common in quantitative aptitude. Understanding how percentages relate two quantities is crucial. In this specific problem, we were given a direct relationship between percentages of CP and SP, allowing us to find the ratio of SP to CP first, and then easily calculate the profit percentage.

  • The relationship \( \text{SP} = \frac{8}{5} \times \text{CP} \) means that for every 5 units of cost price, the selling price is 8 units. The profit is the difference, \( 8 - 5 = 3 \) units.
  • The profit percentage is then the profit (3 units) divided by the cost price (5 units), expressed as a percentage: \( \frac{3}{5} \times 100\% = 60\% \). This confirms our calculation.
  • It is important to remember that profit or loss percentage is conventionally calculated with respect to the cost price.
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Important Questions from Profit and Loss

  1. Ram bought a chair at 35% discount on its market price, Had Ram got no discount, he would have had to pay ₹245 more. How much did Ram pay for the chair? 

  2. A shopkeeper bought an item for Rs. 4,500 and sold it at a loss of 5%. From this money, he bought another item and sold it at a profit of 10%. What is his overall profit?

  3. A man sells two articles at Rs. 9,180 each. He gains 8% on one article and loses 15% on the other. His overall profit or loss is:

  4. A shopkeeper selling an article for ₹46 loses 8%. In order to gain 6%, what should be the selling price of the article?

  5. Rahul purchased 80 items from the market. 25% items of the total items were defective and the remaining items were sold at 50% profit. What will be the overall profit percentage?

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