Discount Tricks for SSC CGL: The Short Answer
A discount is always given on the marked price (MP), never on the cost price. Discount = MP − SP and Discount % = Discount ÷ MP × 100. For two successive discounts of a% and b%, the single equivalent discount = a + b − ab/100. For example, 20% and 10% successive discounts equal 28%, not 30%. Most SSC CGL discount questions are solved by turning every percentage into a multiplying factor (20% off = × 0.8, or × 4/5) and chaining the factors.
Key takeaway for SSC exams: SSC CGL Tier 1 usually has one or two questions on discount or marked price inside the profit-and-loss block, and CHSL and MTS ask it too. Every answer in this note was computed in Python.
Discount sits inside profit and loss, so revise profit and loss tricks for SSC CGL and percentage tricks for SSC CGL as well.
Discount Formula List (MP, SP, CP)
| What you need | Formula |
|---|---|
| Discount | MP − SP |
| Discount % | (MP − SP) ÷ MP × 100 |
| SP after d% discount | MP × (100 − d) ÷ 100 |
| MP from SP | SP × 100 ÷ (100 − d) |
| Profit % | (SP − CP) ÷ CP × 100 |
| MP when profit p% is wanted after discount d% | MP ÷ CP = (100 + p) ÷ (100 − d) |
| Two successive discounts a% and b% | a + b − ab/100 |
| Three successive discounts | Multiply the factors: (1 − a/100)(1 − b/100)(1 − c/100) |
| Buy x get y free | Discount % = y ÷ (x + y) × 100 |
Remember the three prices: CP (what the seller paid) → MP (the price written on the tag) → SP (what the buyer pays). Profit compares SP with CP; discount compares SP with MP.
Successive Discount Formula and Short Trick
For two discounts a% and b%:
Single equivalent discount = a + b − (a × b) ÷ 100
| Successive discounts | Single equivalent discount |
|---|---|
| 10% and 10% | 19% |
| 20% and 10% | 28% |
| 20% and 15% | 32% |
| 25% and 20% | 40% |
| 30% and 20% | 44% |
| 10%, 10% and 10% | 27.1% |
Order does not matter. 20% then 10% gives the same result as 10% then 20%, because multiplication is commutative (0.8 × 0.9 = 0.9 × 0.8 = 0.72).
Three discounts: apply the two-discount formula twice. 10% and 10% = 19%; then 19% and 10% = 19 + 10 − 1.9 = 27.1%.
Reverse question. Two equal successive discounts of x% give a total of 36%. Then (1 − x/100)² = 0.64, so 1 − x/100 = 0.8 and x = 20%.
Discount and Marked Price Questions (Solved Examples)
Q1. The marked price of a jacket is ₹1,200 and the shop gives a 15% discount. What is the selling price? SP = 1,200 × 0.85 = ₹1,020.
Q2. A trader marks his goods 40% above the cost price and allows a 10% discount. What is his profit percentage? Take CP = 100. MP = 140, SP = 140 × 0.9 = 126. Profit = 26%. Short trick: profit % = 40 − 10 − (40 × 10)/100 = 26% (successive-change formula with +40 and −10).
Q3. How much above the cost price should a shopkeeper mark an item so that he earns a 20% profit after giving a 25% discount? MP ÷ CP = 120 ÷ 75 = 1.6. Mark 60% above cost price.
Q4. An article marked at ₹2,500 is sold for ₹2,000. What is the discount percentage? (2,500 − 2,000) ÷ 2,500 × 100 = 20%.
Q5. On an item marked ₹5,000, what is the difference between a single discount of 35% and two successive discounts of 20% and 15%? Successive = 32%, so the difference is 3% of 5,000 = ₹150.
Q6. The ratio of cost price to marked price is 4 : 5. If a 10% discount is given, what is the profit percentage? CP = 4, MP = 5, SP = 4.5. Profit = 0.5 ÷ 4 × 100 = 12.5%.
Q7. After a 20% discount on the marked price of ₹1,500, a shopkeeper still loses 4%. What is the cost price? SP = 1,200 = 96% of CP, so CP = 1,200 ÷ 0.96 = ₹1,250.
Buy X Get Y Free Questions (Effective Discount)
When you buy x and get y free, you pay for x items but take home x + y.
Effective discount % = y ÷ (x + y) × 100
| Offer | Effective discount |
|---|---|
| Buy 1 get 1 free | 50% |
| Buy 2 get 1 free | 33.33% |
| Buy 3 get 1 free | 25% |
| Buy 4 get 1 free | 20% |
| Buy 4 get 2 free | 33.33% |
Offer plus extra discount. "Buy 2 get 1 free, plus 10% off the bill": you pay for 2 of 3 items, and then 90% of that. Factor = 2/3 × 0.9 = 0.6, so the effective discount is 40%.
Discount Tricks Using Fractions (Fast Method)
Converting percentages to fractions saves time in SSC CGL:
| Discount | Factor on MP |
|---|---|
| 10% | 9/10 |
| 12.5% | 7/8 |
| 16.67% | 5/6 |
| 20% | 4/5 |
| 25% | 3/4 |
| 33.33% | 2/3 |
| 37.5% | 5/8 |
| 50% | 1/2 |
Example. MP = ₹960, discount 12.5%. SP = 960 × 7/8 = ₹840, done in one step.
Example. Successive discounts of 25% and 20% on ₹4,000: 4,000 × 3/4 × 4/5 = ₹2,400.
Discount vs Profit: The Combined Formula
When a seller marks up by m% and gives a discount of d%:
Profit or loss % = m − d − (m × d) ÷ 100
| Mark-up | Discount | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 40% | 10% | +26% profit |
| 30% | 15% | +10.5% profit |
| 25% | 20% | 0% (no profit, no loss) |
| 20% | 25% | −10% (loss) |
Why 25% up and 20% off breaks even: 1.25 × 0.8 = 1. This pair is a favourite SSC trap.
Discount Questions Asked in SSC CGL (Exam-Style Patterns)
| Pattern | How it is worded | Quick method |
|---|---|---|
| Find SP | "Marked at ₹X with d% discount" | X × (100 − d)/100 |
| Find MP | "Sold for ₹Y after d% discount" | Y × 100/(100 − d) |
| Find discount % | "Marked ₹X, sold ₹Y" | (X − Y)/X × 100 |
| Mark-up for target profit | "How much above CP to mark…" | (100 + p)/(100 − d) − 1 |
| Successive vs single | "Difference between 35% and 20% + 15%" | Compare single equivalents first |
| Free articles | "Buy x get y free" | y/(x + y) × 100 |
| Discount + loss | "Still loses 4% after 20% discount" | SP = 0.8 MP = 0.96 CP |
Exam tip: In SSC CGL Tier 1 the options are usually close (for example 26%, 28%, 30%, 32%), so avoid rounding. Work with fractions such as 4/5 and 9/10 and simplify only at the end.
Common Mistakes in Discount Questions
- Taking the discount on CP instead of MP.
- Adding successive discounts (20% + 10% ≠ 30%).
- Calculating profit % on MP instead of CP.
- In "buy x get y free", dividing by x instead of x + y.
- Forgetting that "marked up by 40%" means MP = 1.4 × CP, not CP = 0.6 × MP.
Discount Practice Questions (with Answers)
1. What single discount equals successive discounts of 30% and 20%? 30 + 20 − 6 = 44%.
2. Find the selling price of an item marked ₹4,500 after successive discounts of 10% and 20%. 4,500 × 0.9 × 0.8 = ₹3,240.
3. An item is sold for ₹1,530 after a 15% discount. What is its marked price? 1,530 ÷ 0.85 = ₹1,800.
4. A shopkeeper marks goods 30% above cost and gives a 15% discount. Find his profit %. 30 − 15 − 4.5 = 10.5%.
5. After a 20% discount, an article sells for ₹1,440 and the seller makes a 20% profit. Find the cost price. CP = 1,440 ÷ 1.2 = ₹1,200.
6. A shop offers "buy 3 get 1 free". What is the effective discount? 1 ÷ 4 × 100 = 25%.
7. Two equal successive discounts amount to 36%. Find each discount. (1 − x/100)² = 0.64 → 20%.
8. Three successive discounts of 10% each equal what single discount? 27.1%.
9. What is the effective discount with "buy 2 get 1 free" and an extra 10% off? 1 − (2/3 × 0.9) = 0.4 → 40%.
10. A trader marks an article 25% above cost and allows a 20% discount. What is his profit or loss? 1.25 × 0.8 = 1 → no profit, no loss.
Discount Tricks for SSC CGL FAQs
What is the formula for discount?
Discount = Marked Price − Selling Price, and Discount % = Discount ÷ Marked Price × 100. The discount is always calculated on the marked price.
What is the successive discount formula?
For discounts a% and b%, the single equivalent discount is a + b − ab/100. For more than two discounts, multiply the factors (1 − a/100)(1 − b/100)(1 − c/100) and subtract from 1.
Does the order of successive discounts matter?
No. 20% then 10% gives the same final price as 10% then 20%, because the factors are multiplied.
How do you find the marked price for a given profit after discount?
Use MP ÷ CP = (100 + profit %) ÷ (100 − discount %). For a 20% profit after a 25% discount, MP is 1.6 times CP, so mark it 60% above cost.
How do you calculate the discount in buy x get y free?
Discount % = y ÷ (x + y) × 100. Buy 3 get 1 free is a 25% discount.
How many discount questions come in SSC CGL?
Usually one or two questions in SSC CGL Tier 1 come from discount and marked price, inside the profit-and-loss topic. CHSL, MTS and RRB NTPC ask similar questions.
Practice Next
- Mock tests: SSC CHSL Discount Mock Test 01, SSC CHSL Profit and Loss Mock Test 01, SBI and IBPS Clerk Percentage, Profit and Loss Mock Test and SBI Clerk Profit and Loss Mock Test 01.
- Related notes: profit and loss tricks for SSC CGL, percentage tricks for SSC CGL, ratio and proportion for SSC CGL and simplification tricks for bank exams.
- Exam details: SSC CGL 2026 and SSC CHSL 2026.
- Browse all study notes.