All Exams Test series for 1 year @ ₹349 only
Question

A wholesaler sells a packet of tea to a retailer at a profit of 20%. The retailer then marks up the price by 50% and offers a discount of 20% to the customer. If the customer pays Rs. 480, find the cost price of the packet for the wholesaler.

This question was previously asked in
SSC CGL 2025 Tier 2 Paper 1 Question Paper (19-Jan-2026)
The correct answer is
Rs. 333.33

Problem Analysis

The question asks for the original cost price (CP) for the wholesaler. We are given a chain of transactions involving profit, markup, and discount, leading to a final customer price. We need to work backward from the final price to find the initial cost.

Step-by-Step Solution

  1. Define Variables: Let the wholesaler's cost price be $C_{W}$.
  2. Wholesaler to Retailer Transaction: The wholesaler sells to the retailer at a 20% profit. Retailer's Cost Price ($C_{R}$) = Wholesaler's Selling Price ($S_{W}$) = $C_{W} \times (1 + \frac{20}{100}) = 1.20 \times C_{W}$.
  3. Retailer Markup: The retailer marks up the price by 50%. Retailer's Marked Price ($M_{R}$) = $C_{R} \times (1 + \frac{50}{100}) = 1.20 \times C_{W} \times 1.50 = 1.80 \times C_{W}$.
  4. Retailer Discount: The retailer offers a 20% discount on the marked price. Retailer's Selling Price ($S_{R}$) = $M_{R} \times (1 - \frac{20}{100}) = 1.80 \times C_{W} \times 0.80 = 1.44 \times C_{W}$.
  5. Final Customer Price: The customer pays Rs. 480, which is the retailer's selling price. So, $S_{R} = 480$.
  6. Calculate Wholesaler's Cost Price: We have the equation: $1.44 \times C_{W} = 480$. Solving for $C_{W}$: $C_{W} = \frac{480}{1.44}$ $C_{W} = \frac{480}{\frac{144}{100}} = \frac{480 \times 100}{144}$ $C_{W} = \frac{48000}{144}$ $C_{W} = \frac{1000}{3}$ $C_{W} \approx 333.33$

Therefore, the cost price of the packet for the wholesaler is Rs. 333.33.

Was this answer helpful?

Similar Questions

  1. A furniture establishment initially disposes of a particular dining table for ₹X, thereby realizing a 25% profit margin. Subsequently, as a promotional strategy for a festive period, the marked price of this identical table is elevated to ₹Y. Following this adjustment, a special concession of 20% is applied to the newly established marked price. The inquiry then seeks to ascertain the resulting percentage profit generated by the store during this specific celebratory sales period. What is the percentage profit earned by the store during the festive sale?
  2. A software company developed 800 licenses for a new application at a total cost of ₹4,000,000. They provided 50 licenses free to their top beta testers. For the remaining licenses, they offered a 15% discount on the market price of ₹6000 per license. Additionally, they gave 1 license free for every 9 licenses bought. If all 800 licenses were distributed, what is the company's overall gain or loss percentage?
  3. A bakery produced 5000 cakes at a total cost of ₹250,000. They gave away 500 cakes for a promotional event. For the remaining cakes, they offered a 20% discount on the market price of ₹75 per cake. Additionally, they gave one cake free with every 9 cakes bought. If all 5000 cakes were distributed, what is their overall gain or loss percentage?
  4. An electronics store orders 150 portable speakers at a cost of ₹400 each. The owner plans to price them so that selling only 120 speakers would guarantee a 40% profit on the total investment. However, a local event leads to the sale of 135 speakers. If the remaining speakers have no resale value, calculate the store's actual profit percentage on the total investment.
  5. A seller offers a 40% discount on an item whose cost price is Rs. 720. Despite the discount, the seller earns a profit of 20%. What must be the marked price?
  6. If the cost price of 15 articles is equal to the selling price of 12 articles, what is the profit percent?
  7. An electronics dealer marks an item 60% above cost and offers a festival discount of 25%, plus a cashback of Rs. 300 on the final selling price. If he still makes a 10% profit, what is the cost price?
  8. A man buys a set of 3 identical watches at a total cost of Rs. 4,500. He sells them at Rs. 1,800, Rs. 1,700, and Rs. 1,600, respectively. What is the overall profit or loss?
  9. A trader marks his goods 40% above the cost price and gives a discount of 25%.

    If he gains Rs. 75 on an item, what is the cost price of the item?
  10. A shopkeeper marks an article at Rs. 720 and gives a discount of Rs. 144. He earns a profit of Rs. 36. What is the cost price?

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?

Need Expert Advice?
Upcoming Exams
SSC JHT
September 08, 2026
SSC Stenographer
September 09, 2026
SSC Selection Post
September 16, 2026
Test Series
SSC CGL img
SSC
SSC CGL (Tier I + Tier II) 2026 Mock Test Series - Latest Pattern
2500 Tests 6 Tests Free
3990 Attempts
4.2(838)
English, Hindi

Start Your Preparation with Prepp Mobile App

Download the app from Google Play & App Store
Download the app from Google Play & App Store
Prepp Mobile App