This Percentage Practice Set for SSC CGL is designed to test the most common percentage patterns used in competitive exams. Solve each question before checking the answer and explanation. Focus on accuracy first, then repeat the set with a timer to improve speed.
Before attempting this set, revise the Percentage Master Guide and then practise more questions from the SSC CGL Percentage topic.
How to Use This Percentage Practice Set
- Attempt every question without looking at the solution.
- Write the percentage formula or multiplier used.
- Check why an incorrect option is wrong, not only why the answer is correct.
- Repeat difficult questions after one day.
- Use a timer on the second attempt to improve calculation speed.
Before You Start: Recognise the Percentage Pattern
Before solving a question, spend a few seconds identifying what the question is really asking. In percentage problems, choosing the correct base is often more important than doing the calculation quickly.
Use this short check:
- Direct percentage: find a stated percentage of a known value.
- Part and whole: decide which number represents the total.
- Increase or decrease: compare the change with the original value.
- Reverse percentage: treat the final value as more or less than 100% of the original.
- Successive change: remember that the second change acts on the updated value.
Do not rush because the numbers look easy. First write the relationship, then calculate. This habit prevents many base-value and reverse-percentage errors.
Accuracy First, Speed Second
On your first attempt, solve the set without a strict timer. Mark any question where you were unsure about the method even if your final answer was correct. A guessed correct answer should still be reviewed.
On the second attempt, use a timer and compare not only your score but also your solving process. The goal is to become faster without losing the logic behind the calculation.
Question 1: Find a Basic Percentage
What is 35% of 240?
- A. 72
- B. 84
- C. 96
- D. 108
Answer: B. 84
Explanation: 35% of 240 = 35/100 × 240 = 84.
Question 2: Convert a Fraction to Percentage
What percentage is 45 out of 180?
- A. 20%
- B. 25%
- C. 30%
- D. 35%
Answer: B. 25%
Explanation: Percentage = 45/180 × 100 = 25%.
Question 3: Percentage Increase
A salary increases from ₹20,000 to ₹23,000. What is the percentage increase?
- A. 10%
- B. 12%
- C. 15%
- D. 18%
Answer: C. 15%
Explanation: Increase = ₹3,000. Percentage increase = 3,000/20,000 × 100 = 15%.
Question 4: Percentage Decrease
The price of an item falls from ₹800 to ₹680. What is the percentage decrease?
- A. 10%
- B. 12%
- C. 15%
- D. 20%
Answer: C. 15%
Explanation: Decrease = ₹120. Percentage decrease = 120/800 × 100 = 15%.
Question 5: Reverse Percentage
After a 20% increase, a number becomes 360. What was the original number?
- A. 280
- B. 300
- C. 320
- D. 340
Answer: B. 300
Explanation: The new value is 120% of the original. Original = 360 × 100/120 = 300.
Question 6: Successive Percentage Change
A value increases by 20% and then decreases by 20%. What is the net change?
- A. No change
- B. 2% decrease
- C. 4% decrease
- D. 4% increase
Answer: C. 4% decrease
Explanation: Assume the original value is 100. After a 20% increase it becomes 120. A 20% decrease on 120 is 24, so the final value is 96. Net decrease = 4%.
Question 7: Exam Score Percentage
A candidate scores 378 marks out of 450. What percentage of marks did the candidate score?
- A. 80%
- B. 82%
- C. 84%
- D. 86%
Answer: C. 84%
Explanation: 378/450 × 100 = 84%.
Question 8: Population Increase
The population of a town is 50,000. It increases by 12%. What is the new population?
- A. 54,000
- B. 55,000
- C. 56,000
- D. 58,000
Answer: C. 56,000
Explanation: Increase = 12% of 50,000 = 6,000. New population = 56,000.
Question 9: Finding the Whole
If 30% of a number is 72, what is the number?
- A. 180
- B. 210
- C. 240
- D. 270
Answer: C. 240
Explanation: Number = 72 × 100/30 = 240.
Question 10: Percentage Comparison
A is 25% more than B. If B = 160, what is A?
- A. 180
- B. 190
- C. 200
- D. 220
Answer: C. 200
Explanation: 25% of 160 = 40. Therefore A = 160 + 40 = 200.
Question 11: Income and Savings
A person earns ₹40,000 per month and saves 15% of the income. How much does the person save?
- A. ₹4,000
- B. ₹5,000
- C. ₹6,000
- D. ₹7,000
Answer: C. ₹6,000
Explanation: Savings = 15% of ₹40,000 = 15/100 × 40,000 = ₹6,000.
Question 12: Finding Expenditure
A person spends 75% of a monthly income of ₹32,000. What is the monthly expenditure?
- A. ₹22,000
- B. ₹24,000
- C. ₹25,000
- D. ₹26,000
Answer: B. ₹24,000
Explanation: Expenditure = 75% of ₹32,000 = 3/4 × 32,000 = ₹24,000.
Question 13: Pass and Fail Percentage
In an examination, 18% of 500 candidates fail. How many candidates pass?
- A. 390
- B. 400
- C. 410
- D. 420
Answer: C. 410
Explanation: If 18% fail, 82% pass. 82% of 500 = 410.
Question 14: Reverse Discount
After a 20% discount, an item is sold for ₹1,200. What was its marked price?
- A. ₹1,400
- B. ₹1,440
- C. ₹1,500
- D. ₹1,600
Answer: C. ₹1,500
Explanation: After a 20% discount, the selling price is 80% of the marked price. Marked price = 1,200 × 100/80 = ₹1,500.
Question 15: Price and Consumption
The price of a commodity increases by 25%. By what percentage should consumption be reduced so that expenditure remains unchanged?
- A. 15%
- B. 20%
- C. 25%
- D. 30%
Answer: B. 20%
Explanation: Assume the old price is 100 and consumption is 100 units, so expenditure is 10,000. The new price is 125. To keep expenditure at 10,000, new consumption must be 10,000/125 = 80 units. Consumption falls from 100 to 80, which is a 20% reduction.
Question 16: Reverse Comparison
A is 25% more than B. By what percentage is B less than A?
- A. 15%
- B. 20%
- C. 25%
- D. 30%
Answer: B. 20%
Explanation: Let B = 100. Then A = 125. The difference is 25, but the new comparison base is A. Therefore, B is 25/125 × 100 = 20% less than A.
Question 17: Two Successive Increases
A value increases by 10% and then by another 20%. What is the overall percentage increase?
- A. 30%
- B. 31%
- C. 32%
- D. 34%
Answer: C. 32%
Explanation: Assume the original value is 100. After a 10% increase it becomes 110. A further 20% increase makes it 132. The overall increase is therefore 32%.
Question 18: Finding the Original Price
The price of an item is reduced by 15% and becomes ₹1,700. What was the original price?
- A. ₹1,800
- B. ₹1,900
- C. ₹2,000
- D. ₹2,100
Answer: C. ₹2,000
Explanation: After a 15% reduction, ₹1,700 represents 85% of the original price. Original price = 1,700 × 100/85 = ₹2,000.
Question 19: Percentage Points vs Percentage Increase
A test score rises from 60% to 75%. By what percentage has the score rate increased relative to the original rate?
- A. 15%
- B. 20%
- C. 25%
- D. 30%
Answer: C. 25%
Explanation: The rise is 15 percentage points, but the percentage increase relative to the original 60% is 15/60 × 100 = 25%.
Question 20: Mixed Percentage Reasoning
In a class, 60% of the students are boys. If there are 24 girls, how many students are there in total?
- A. 50
- B. 60
- C. 64
- D. 72
Answer: B. 60
Explanation: If 60% are boys, 40% are girls. Therefore, 40% of the total = 24. Total = 24 × 100/40 = 60.
How to Review These Questions
Do not judge the set only by your final score. Separate mistakes into three types: concept mistakes, wrong base-value selection, and calculation mistakes. This tells you what actually needs revision.
If reverse percentage or comparison questions are difficult, revise Percentage Word Problems. For formula-based errors, use the Percentage Formulas guide.
What This Set Tests
These questions cover direct percentage calculation, fraction-to-percentage conversion, percentage increase and decrease, reverse percentage, successive changes, finding the whole, and percentage comparison. These patterns should be understood conceptually rather than memorised as isolated tricks.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using the new value instead of the original value as the denominator.
- Assuming equal percentage increase and decrease cancel each other.
- Forgetting that 120% means 1.20 times the original value.
- Doing unnecessary long calculations when a fraction conversion is easier.
- Checking only the final answer instead of reviewing the method.
Next Step
After completing this set, return to the Percentage Master Guide, continue with Percentage Practice Set 2, or move to topic-wise practice for broader SSC CGL revision.