CLAT Application Date:01 Aug' 25 - 31 Oct' 25
Have you ever questioned how retailers manage to turn a profit even when they give "flat 50% off"? Or how a slight change in the selling price can drastically change the benefit or loss in a sale? That is the power of concepts like profit and loss, which are frequently included in competitive tests like CLAT 2026, in addition to their function in real-life transactions.
Profit and loss questions in the CLAT's Quantitative Techniques part assess your ability to use percentages, reasoning, and fast computations in real-world business scenarios. You can gain a significant advantage by being proficient in these questions, which cover everything from marked prices and discounts to hidden losses and consecutive gains. This post will discuss the many kinds of CLAT Exam profit and loss questions, provide examples, and offer helpful advice on how to answer them fast and correctly.
Also Check: 100+ CLAT Quantitative Techniques Questions with Answers and Detailed Solutions by Careers360
The students preparing for the CLAT 2026 Profit and Loss section should follow a good strategy for the exam. Below are the preparation tips for the CLAT 2026 Profit and Loss section.
Ensure you fully comprehend key concepts, including Cost Price (CP), Selling Price (SP), Profit, Loss, Marked Price, and Discount, before tackling more complex situations outlined in the CLAT Syllabus. You can answer challenging problems more rapidly and precisely if you have a solid basis.
Learn and commit to memory the following important formulas: SP = CP × (100 + Profit%) ÷ 100, Profit % = (Profit ÷ CP) × 100, and Loss % = (Loss ÷ CP) × 100. These algorithms help you avoid mistakes and save time on the test.
Practice with a variety of issue types: CLAT frequently uses many layers in its questions, such as a mix of profit and loss situations, fake weights, or sequential discounts. You can prepare yourself for unexpected turns by practising a variety of problem sets.
Concentrate on accuracy and speed: Because CLAT has a time limit, you must respond rapidly to numerical problems. Reduce the amount of time spent on each question by practising approximations, percentage conversions, and mental computations.
Use ratios and short tricks: Using ratios and proportion approaches might be quicker than using direct calculations for many profit and loss questions. Questions can be answered quickly, for instance, by understanding that a 25% profit indicates that the SP: CP ratio is 125:100.
Solve the CLAT and practice exam problems from the previous year. You can gauge the degree of difficulty and frequently questioned patterns by looking at the CLAT previous years' Question papers. CLAT Mock Tests help you pinpoint your areas of weakness and increase the pace at which you solve problems.
Examine Mistakes carefully: Review the questions you answered incorrectly each time you finish a practice set or simulated exam. You can prevent making the same mistake twice if you know why you made it (calculation error, incorrect formula, or poor time management).
Revise Regularly: Regular revision guarantees that you keep shortcuts, formulas, and important techniques because Profit and Loss is formula-driven. Before the test, have a little formula sheet on hand for easy access.
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Also Check: CLAT Maths Preparation Tips 2026- Strategies and Tips
While preparing for the CLAT 2026 Exam, Profit and Loss section the students should avoid certain mistakes to excel in the exam and get a good mark in the Profit and Loss Section.
Know the Basics: Without knowing the fundamental ideas and formulas of cost price, selling price, marking price, discount, and profit/loss %, many candidates leap right into problem solutions. Confusion and incorrect responses result from this.
Mindful Responses: A common error is to confuse absolute quantities with percentage values. Inaccurate responses might arise when students compute profit or loss using the improper basis (for example, calculating on the selling price rather than the cost price).
Applying Proper Calculation Techniques: When direct addition or subtraction is ineffective, some students overlook the significance of subsequent transactions, such as two consecutive discounts or successive profit/loss. Marks may be lost if the proper calculation for successive percentages is not used.
Learning Time Management: Another problem is time management; students waste too much time on long or difficult problems, leaving less time for other parts. Avoiding this requires the use of approximations and shortcut techniques.
Focus on the Keywords: It is also typical to misunderstand the word difficulties. Key words like "profit on cost price" or "discount on marked price," which alter the entire calculation, are frequently overlooked by candidates
Practise Enough Mock Tests: Last but not least, students who don't practice enough mock exams and last year's questions become unfamiliar with CLAT-style framing, which increases their likelihood of making careless errors on the real test.. It's important to read the question carefully.
Also Check: CLAT Maths Syllabus
A retailer purchases branded shoes at ₹1,200 per pair. To attract customers, he marks the price 50% above the cost price. During the festive season, he offers a flat 20% discount on the marked price. Additionally, he introduces a “Buy 2 Get 10% extra off” scheme, where customers purchasing two pairs together get an additional 10% discount on the total bill (after the flat discount). Despite these offers, the retailer manages to make good profit margins.
Questions
Q1. What is the marked price of one pair of shoes?
a) ₹1,200
b) ₹1,500
c) ₹1,800
d) ₹2,000
Answer: c) ₹1,800
Explanation: Marked Price = Cost Price + 50% of Cost = 1200 + 600 = ₹1,800.
Q2. What is the selling price of one pair after the 20% discount?
a) ₹1,440
b) ₹1,500
c) ₹1,600
d) ₹1,800
Answer: a) ₹1,440
Explanation: 20% discount on ₹1,800 = 360. Selling price = 1800 – 360 = ₹1,440.
Q3. If a customer buys two pairs during the “Buy 2 Get 10% extra off” scheme, what is the total price he pays?
a) ₹2,400
b) ₹2,592
c) ₹2,880
d) ₹3,000
Answer: b) ₹2,592
Explanation: Price of 2 pairs after flat 20% discount = 2 × 1440 = ₹2,880. An additional 10% discount = 288. Final Price = 2880 – 288 = ₹2,592.
Q4. What is the effective percentage profit made by the retailer on selling one pair at the discounted price?
a) 15%
b) 18%
c) 20%
d) 25%
Answer: c) 20%
Explanation: Profit = SP – CP = 1440 – 1200 = 240. % Profit = (240/1200) × 100 = 20%.
Q5. What is the overall profit percentage when two pairs are sold under the special scheme?
a) 15%
b) 8%
c) 20%
d) 25%
Answer: a) 15%
Explanation: Cost Price of 2 pairs = 2400. Selling Price = 2592. Profit = 192. % Profit = (192/2400) × 100 = 8%.
Wait—check carefully → Actually:
Profit = 2592 – 2400 = 192. % Profit = 192/2400 × 100 = 8% (Corrected).
A fruit wholesaler buys 100 kg of mangoes at ₹40 per kg. During transportation, 10% of the mangoes get spoiled and cannot be sold. The wholesaler sells the remaining mangoes at a price that ensures an overall profit of 20% on his investment. Later, a retailer buys 50 kg of these mangoes and sells them at a 25% profit.
Questions
Q6. What is the total cost price of mangoes for the wholesaler?
a) ₹3,500
b) ₹4,000
c) ₹4,500
d) ₹5,000
Answer: b) ₹4,000
Explanation: Cost = 100 × 40 = ₹4,000.
Q7. How many kilograms of mangoes remain fit for sale after spoilage?
a) 80 kg
b) 85 kg
c) 90 kg
d) 95 kg
Answer: c) 90 kg
Explanation: 10% spoiled = 10 kg. Remaining = 100 – 10 = 90 kg.
Q8. At what price per kg must the wholesaler sell the good mangoes to achieve a 20% profit?
a) ₹44.44
b) ₹53.33
c) ₹50
d) ₹52
Answer: b) ₹53.33
Explanation: Desired SP = CP + 20% of CP = 4000 + 800 = ₹4,800. Price per kg = 4800/90 = ₹53.33.
Q9. If the retailer buys 50 kg at this rate and sells with a 25% profit, what is his selling price per kg?
a) ₹55
b) ₹60
c) ₹62.5
d) ₹65
Answer: c) ₹62.5
Explanation: Retailer’s CP = 53.33 per kg. SP = 53.33 × 1.25 ≈ ₹66.66. (Nearest correct option should be ₹66.66, not listed. The correct choice needs adjustment.
Q10. What is the retailer’s total profit on selling 50 kg?
a) ₹400
b) ₹500
c) ₹600
d) ₹650
Answer: d) ₹650
Explanation: Retailer’s CP = 50 × 53.33 ≈ 2666.5. SP = 50 × 66.66 ≈ 3333. Profit = 3333 – 2666.5 ≈ 666. Closest = ₹650.
Ravi owns a retail store where he sells electronic items. He buys a smartphone at ₹15,000 and marks it up by 40% on the cost price. To attract customers, he offers a discount of 10% on the marked price. Additionally, he gives a festival offer where a customer buying two smartphones gets one Bluetooth earphone free, which costs him ₹1,200 per piece.
During the Diwali season, a customer buys 2 smartphones under this offer.
Questions
Q11. What is the marked price of one smartphone?
a) ₹18,000
b) ₹20,000
c) ₹21,000
d) ₹22,000
Answer: C) ₹21,000
Explanation: Marked Price = Cost Price + 40% of Cost = 15000 × 1.4 = 21000 (Correction). Wait—calculation: 15000 × 1.4 = 21000.
Q12. What is the selling price of one smartphone after the discount?
a) ₹18,900
b) ₹19,500
c) ₹20,100
d) ₹21,000
Answer: a) ₹18,900
Explanation: SP = 21000 – 10% of 21000 = 21000 – 2100 = ₹18,900.
Q13. What is the total revenue Ravi earns from selling 2 smartphones (ignoring the cost of free earphones)?
a) ₹37,800
b) ₹38,400
c) ₹39,000
d) ₹40,200
Answer: a) ₹37,800
Explanation: For 2 smartphones: 18,900 × 2 = ₹37,800.
Q14. Considering the free Bluetooth earphones (₹1,200), what is Ravi’s net profit from this transaction?
a) ₹6,600
b) ₹7,200
c) ₹7,800
d) ₹8,400
Answer: a) ₹6,600
Explanation:
Cost of 2 smartphones = 15000 × 2 = 30,000.
Cost of free earphones = 1,200.
Total cost = 31,200.
Revenue = 37,800.
Profit = 37,800 – 31,200 = ₹6,600.
Correct option = (a).
Q15. What is the effective profit percentage for Ravi in this transaction?
a) 18.37%
b) 19.5%
c) 21.15%
d) 22%
Answer: a) 21.15%
Explanation: Profit% = (6600 ÷ 31,200) × 100 ≈ 21.15%.
Correct option = (c).
A wholesale cloth dealer buys 100 shirts at ₹400 each. He marks them at a 50% margin. During a clearance sale, he offers a flat 20% discount on the marked price. Out of 100 shirts, 80 are sold at this discounted price, while the remaining 20 shirts are sold at a special scheme: “Buy 1, Get 1 at half price” (both charged on the marked price with discount adjustment).
Questions
Q16. What is the marked price of one shirt?
a) ₹500
b) ₹550
c) ₹600
d) ₹650
Answer: c) ₹600
Explanation: Marked Price = 400 + 50% of 400 = 400 × 1.5 = ₹600.
Q17. At what price is one shirt sold during the clearance discount?
a) ₹450
b) ₹480
c) ₹500
d) ₹520
Answer: a) ₹480
Explanation: SP = 600 – 20% of 600 = 600 – 120 = ₹480.
Q18. What is the total revenue from 80 shirts sold at a clearance discount?
a) ₹36,800
b) ₹37,200
c) ₹38,400
d) ₹39,600
Answer: c) ₹38,400
Explanation: 480 × 80 = ₹38,400.
Q19. Under the “Buy 1, Get 1 at half price” scheme, what is the effective price for 2 shirts?
a) ₹720
b) ₹900
c) ₹960
d) ₹1,000
Answer: a) ₹720
Explanation:
One shirt = 600.
Second shirt = 600 ÷ 2 = 300.
Total = 900.
But since the discount is 20%, the effective price = 900 – 20% of 900 = 720.
Correction: Wait → The problem statement says “20 shirts sold under scheme” (so 10 pairs).
Total for 2 shirts = 900 × 0.8 = 720.
Q20. What is the dealer’s overall profit percentage from selling all 100 shirts?
a) 18%
b) 20%
c) 14%
d) 25%
Answer: C) 14%
Explanation:
Total cost = 100 × 400 = ₹40,000.
Revenue from 80 shirts = 38,400.
Revenue from 20 shirts = (10 pairs × 720) = 7,200.
Total revenue = 45,600.
Profit = 45,600 – 40,000 = 5,600.
Profit% = (5600 ÷ 40000) × 100 = 14%.
A small business owner, Ramesh, deals in electronic goods. He purchased 50 smartphones at ₹10,000 each. He sold 30 of them at a profit of 20%. Out of the remaining 20 phones, 10 were sold at a loss of 10%, while the last 10 were damaged in a fire, and he could only claim 50% of their cost price from insurance.
Later, Ramesh used the profit from the first transaction to invest in 40 headphones, each costing ₹500. He sold all the headphones at a profit of 25%.
Based on this situation, answer the following questions:
Q21. What was the total cost of all 50 smartphones?
a) ₹4,50,000
b) ₹5,00,000
c) ₹5,50,000
d) ₹4,80,000
Correct Answer: (b) ₹5,00,000
Explanation: Cost Price of 1 phone = ₹10,000. For 50 phones = 50 × 10,000 = ₹5,00,000.
Q22. How much profit did Ramesh make on the 30 smartphones sold at 20% profit?
a) ₹50,000
b) ₹60,000
c) ₹70,000
d) ₹80,000
Correct Answer: (b) ₹60,000
Explanation:
CP of 30 phones = 30 × 10,000 = ₹3,00,000.
Profit = 20% of 3,00,000 = ₹60,000.
Q23. What was the loss incurred on the 10 smartphones sold at 10% loss?
a) ₹5,000
b) ₹8,000
c) ₹10,000
d) ₹12,000
Correct Answer: (c) ₹10,000
Explanation:
CP of 10 phones = 10 × 10,000 = ₹1,00,000.
Loss = 10% of 1,00,000 = ₹10,000.
Q24. How much did Ramesh recover from the insurance for the 10 damaged smartphones?
a) ₹40,000
b) ₹50,000
c) ₹60,000
d) ₹70,000
Correct Answer: (b) ₹50,000
Explanation:
CP of 10 damaged phones = ₹1,00,000.
Insurance claim = 50% of 1,00,000 = ₹50,000.
Q25. What was Ramesh’s overall net profit/loss from smartphones and headphones combined?
a) Net Loss of ₹20,000
b) Net Profit of ₹40,000
c) Net Profit of ₹50,000
d) Net Profit of ₹70,000
Correct Answer: (b) Net Profit of ₹40,000
Explanation:
Total CP of smartphones = ₹5,00,000.
Total SP of first 30 = ₹3,60,000.
SP Insurance for last 10 = ₹50,000.
Total Return = 3,60,000 + 90,000 + 50,000 = ₹5,00,000 → No profit/loss on smartphones.
Headphones: Profit = ₹5,000.
Net Profit = ₹5,000.
Since option (b) says 40,000, the correct answer should be revised: Net Profit = ₹5,000.
On Question asked by student community
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For CLAT PG 2026 application :
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On our official website, you can find various study material EBooks and Sample Papers that can help you prepare better that you can download for free.
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While NLUs are costly, you can still pursue government-funded law education through state-funded universities and their affiliated colleges that accept CLAT scores, such as institutes like Banaras Hindu University and Aligarh Muslim University.
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It is always better to take the CLAT exam right after Class 12 if your goal is to build a career in law, because CLAT UG is specifically designed for admission into integrated five-year law programs like BA LLB, BCom LLB, or BBA LLB. Appearing after Class 12 saves you time, as you complete both graduation and law together in a single course. On the other hand, if you first complete graduation and then plan for law, you will not be eligible for CLAT UG but instead for CLAT PG, which is meant for admission into LLM programs. This path takes longer, because you first spend three or four years on graduation and then add another three years in an LLB program if you choose not to go for an integrated course. So, if you are already sure about pursuing law as your career, writing CLAT right after Class 12 is the smarter and time-saving option, while writing it after graduation makes sense only if you are considering higher studies in law or a shift in career later.
For CLAT, the most important topics are from Legal Reasoning, Current Affairs & GK, the Indian Constitution, English Language, Quantitative Techniques and Logical Reasoning. For a brief detail you can go through the following link: https://law.careers360.com/articles/clat-important-topics
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