Sharpen your quantitative aptitude with these carefully crafted questions on dishonest shopkeeper profit and loss calculations, tailored for aptitude HR tests and competitive exams. Understand key scenarios involving cheating with weights, selling at incorrect prices, and deceptive measurement techniques.
A shopkeeper sells goods at cost price but uses false weights, giving only 950 grams instead of 1 kilogram. What is his percentage gain?
Explanation: If the shopkeeper gives 950 grams instead of 1 kilogram, he is effectively getting paid for 1 kg while only delivering 950 grams. His gain percentage is (50/950) x 100 = 5.26%. Option B, 4.5%, and Option D, 9.5%, are commonly made miscalculations, while Option C, 10%, does not account for the precise weight difference. Only 5.26% is mathematically correct for this scenario.
A shopkeeper mixes 2 kg of sugar costing Rs. 40 per kg with 3 kg of sugar costing Rs. 32 per kg. He sells the mixture at Rs. 40 per kg. What is his profit percentage?
Explanation: The cost of 2 kg at Rs. 40 is Rs. 80, and 3 kg at Rs. 32 is Rs. 96. The total cost for 5 kg is Rs. 176. If he sells 5 kg at Rs. 40 per kg, revenue is Rs. 200. Profit is Rs. 24, so profit percent is (24/176) x 100 = 13.63%, which rounds to 14%. Options B and C (10% and 12%) underestimate the gain, while Option D, 16%, overstates it. Only 14% closely matches the calculated profit.
A dishonest shopkeeper marks his goods 20% higher than the cost price and gives a discount of 10%, but cheats by using weights 10% less than the actual. What is his overall profit percentage?
Explanation: He marks up by 20% and gives 10% discount, so effective price = 1.2 x 0.9 = 1.08 (8% above cost). Due to 10% less weight, he gains extra 1/0.9 = 1.111..., so total gain is 8% + 11.11% ≈ 19.11%. But since both factors multiply, overall profit = (1.08/0.9 - 1) x 100 ≈ 20%. 28% is the correct compounded answer after performing the precise calculation, while 20%, 18%, and 30% do not account for the multiplication effect accurately.
A shopkeeper buys a product at Rs. 80 per item and tries to sell it at Rs. 100 per item. He however faces a 10% loss during weighing by accident. What is his actual profit or loss percentage?
Explanation: At Rs. 100 selling price, the intended profit is Rs. 20. However, a 10% loss during weighing means he only sells 90% of the quantity, effectively losing 10% value. The gain and the loss balance out, resulting in no net profit or loss. Option B, 12.5% loss, assumes loss only; Option C, 2.5% profit, underestimates the opposing effects, and Option D is an overstatement.
A dishonest shopkeeper advertises 25% off on a product but increases the marked price above cost by 33⅓%. What is his net profit percentage?
Explanation: If cost price is Rs. 100, marked price becomes Rs. 133.33. With 25% off, selling price is Rs. 100 (75% of Rs. 133.33). Therefore, there is no profit or loss: net gain is 0%. However, by calculating (Rs. 133.33 x 0.75 = 100), this breaks even, which matches the correct answer of 0%. The other options, 12%, 6⅔%, and 8%, don't account for the precise interplay of markup and discount.