Analyzing Company Profit Percentage Increase

The question asks to find the year where the positive increase in percent profit, compared to the previous year, was minimum. We are provided with a table showing the income and percentage profit of a company over six years from 2017 to 2022. To answer this, we need to calculate the year-on-year change in the profit percentage and then identify the smallest positive change.

Here is the provided data table:

Calculating Year-on-Year Profit Percentage Change

To find the increase in percent profit compared to the previous year, we subtract the previous year's profit percentage from the current year's profit percentage. We need to do this for each year starting from 2018.

• For the year 2018:

  Change in profit % = Profit % in 2018 - Profit % in 2017 $$ = 15 - 7.5 = 7.5$$ This is a positive increase of 7.5 percentage points.

• For the year 2019:

  Change in profit % = Profit % in 2019 - Profit % in 2018 $$ = 22.5 - 15 = 7.5$$ This is a positive increase of 7.5 percentage points.

• For the year 2020:

  Change in profit % = Profit % in 2020 - Profit % in 2019 $$ = 17.5 - 22.5 = -5$$ This is a decrease of 5 percentage points, not a positive increase.

• For the year 2021:

  Change in profit % = Profit % in 2021 - Profit % in 2020 $$ = 20 - 17.5 = 2.5$$ This is a positive increase of 2.5 percentage points.

• For the year 2022:

  Change in profit % = Profit % in 2022 - Profit % in 2021 $$ = 27.5 - 20 = 7.5$$ This is a positive increase of 7.5 percentage points.

Identifying the Minimum Positive Increase in Profit Percentage

Now, we look at the years that had a positive increase in percent profit compared to the previous year. These years are 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022.

The positive increases calculated are:

• Year 2018: +7.5
• Year 2019: +7.5
• Year 2021: +2.5
• Year 2022: +7.5

Comparing these positive values (7.5, 7.5, 2.5, 7.5), the minimum positive increase is 2.5. This minimum positive increase occurred in the year 2021.

Conclusion

Based on the calculations, the positive increase in percent profit in comparison to the previous year was minimum in the year 2021.

Revision Table - Profit Percentage Analysis

Comparing the positive changes: 7.5, 7.5, 2.5, 7.5. The minimum positive change is 2.5, which corresponds to the year 2021.

Additional Information - Data Interpretation Skills

Data interpretation questions often require analyzing tables, graphs, or charts to extract specific information and perform calculations. Key skills for solving such problems include:

• Carefully reading the question to understand what is being asked.
• Identifying the relevant data points in the table or graph.
• Performing calculations accurately (like differences, percentages, ratios, averages).
• Comparing values to find minimums, maximums, or trends.
• Understanding the units and context of the data (e.g., Rs. Lakh, percentage points).
• Avoiding common errors like misreading data or calculation mistakes.

Practice with different types of data representations (tables, bar graphs, line graphs, pie charts) helps improve data interpretation skills for competitive exams.