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UPSC CSE CSAT 2020 · Paper II (CSAT) · Question 40 · Arithmetic: percentage, ratio, averages, time & work

A person bought a car and sold it for ₹ 3,00,000. If he incurred a loss of 20%, then how much did…

UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2020, General Studies Paper II (CSAT), Question 40 — Arithmetic: percentage, ratio, averages, time & work.

A person bought a car and sold it for ₹ 3,00,000. If he incurred a loss of 20%, then how much did he spend to buy the car?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) ₹ 3,75,000

A 20% loss means the selling price is 80% of the cost. So the cost is 3,00,000 ÷ 0·8 = ₹ 3,75,000.

  1. Selling price = 80% of cost price.
  2. Cost price = 3,00,000 ÷ 0·8 = ₹ 3,75,000.
  3. Check: 20% of 3,75,000 = 75,000, and 3,75,000 − 75,000 = 3,00,000.

Remember · Loss and profit percentages are on cost price: CP = SP ÷ (1 − loss%).

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2020, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·

Cite this question: UPSC CSE CSAT 2020, Q40 — minimalistias.com/pyqs/csat/2020/q40

In the UPSC syllabus: Arithmetic: percentage, ratio, averages, time & work › Percentages, profit & loss See it and tick it covered →

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