Percentage Question Types, Formulas, Short Tricks and Tips

Published on 11 August 2025 by

Percentage is one of the most common and high-scoring topics in Quantitative Aptitude. Whether it’s SSC, Banking, RRB, or State-level exams, questions on percentages appears in all exams and form the basis for many other topics like Profit & Loss, Simple Interest, Data Interpretation, and Mixture Problems. In this blog, we have provided all the details about percentage concepts, formulas, tricks, types of questions, solved examples, and more.

What Is Percentage in Quantitative Aptitude?

A percentage is a way of expressing a number as a fraction of 100. It is denoted by the symbol %.
In Quantitative Aptitude, percentage questions test your ability to compare values, calculate changes, and apply ratios in real-life and problem-solving scenarios.

Why it appears in exams:

  • Forms the base for multiple Quant topics (Profit & Loss, SI-CI, DI).
  • Tests calculation speed and accuracy.
  • Frequently integrated into mixed-concept questions.

Skills required to solve Percentage problems:

  • Quick mental arithmetic
  • Strong ratio and proportion understanding
  • Ability to link changes in percentage with real values
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Why Is Percentage Important in Competitive Exams?

Questions on percentage appear in almost every competitive exam because they are easy to set, easy to solve, and can be integrated with many other topics.

ExamNo. of QuestionsDifficulty
SSC CGL / CHSL1–2Easy
IBPS PO / SBI PO1–2Moderate
RRB NTPC / Group D1Easy
State PSC / Police1–2Moderate

Percentage Quantitative Aptitude Short Notes

Terms used for the percentage topic are as follows:

TermExplanation
Percentage (%)Number expressed as per 100
Percentage ChangeIncrease or decrease in value in percentage terms
Percentage PointDifference between two percentage values
Successive PercentageMultiple percentage changes applied one after another
Base ValueThe original value from which percentage is calculated
Relative PercentageComparison of percentages between two entities

Percentage Questions Short Tricks

Short tricks that are useful while solving percentage questions are as follows:

ConceptExplanation
% to FractionDivide by 100
Fraction to %Multiply by 100
% Increase Formula(Increase ÷ Original) × 100
% Decrease Formula(Decrease ÷ Original) × 100
Successive % ChangeTotal % Change = x + y + (xy/100)
Value from %(Percentage × Total) ÷ 100
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What Are the Types of Percentage Questions in Quantitative Aptitude?

The types of percentage questions being asked are as follows:

  • Direct Percentage Calculation – Finding a percentage of a given number.
  • Percentage Change – Increase or decrease problems.
  • Successive Percentage – Applying multiple percentage changes.
  • Comparison Percentage – Relative % differences.
  • Application-Based – In Profit & Loss, SI-CI, DI, and Mixture problems.

Percentage Formulas for Quantitative Aptitude

The key formulas to solve percentage problems quickly:

  1. Percentage value = (Value ÷ Total) × 100
  2. Value from percentage = (Percentage × Total) ÷ 100
  3. % Increase = [(New – Old) ÷ Old] × 100
  4. % Decrease = [(Old – New) ÷ Old] × 100
  5. Successive % Change = x + y + (xy/100)
  6. % to fraction = Divide by 100

Percentage Tricks for SSC CGL and Other Exams

Tricks that are mostly used while solving questions from this topic are as follows:

  1. Memorise fraction–percentage equivalents (e.g., 1/2 = 50%, 1/3 = 33.33%).
  2. Use the x + y + (xy/100) formula for successive changes instead of step-by-step calculation.
  3. For quick DI calculations, break percentages into sums of easy parts (e.g., 18% of 200 = 10% + 5% + 3%).
  4. In exam pressure, work with ratios when dealing with percentage comparison.
  5. Always double-check extreme percentage changes (over 100%) for logic.

Solved Percentage Questions from 2024–25 Exams

Q1. Asked in SSC CGL 2024 Tier 1 (Shift 2)
If the price of a commodity increases by 20%, by what % should its consumption be reduced so that the expenditure remains the same?
Answer: 16.67%
Explanation: Reduction % = [x / (100 + x)] × 100 = (20/120) × 100 = 16.67%

Q2. From IBPS PO Prelims 2024 – Memory-Based
A student scores 480 marks out of 600. What is the percentage score?
Answer: 80%
Explanation: (480 ÷ 600) × 100 = 80%

Q3. RRB NTPC 2024 Shift 1
If a number is increased by 25%, it becomes 500. Find the original number.
Answer: 400
Explanation: 125% = 500 → 1% = 4 → 100% = 400

Percentage Concepts for Bank Exams

Bank exams often twist percentage questions into Data Interpretation or Coded Arithmetic formats. For example:

Example:
The number of employees increased from 240 to 300 in a company. Find the percentage increase.
Solution: [(300 – 240) ÷ 240] × 100 = 25%

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Common Mistakes to Avoid while Solving Percentage

Common mistakes to avoid while solving questions on percentage are as follows:

  1. Confusing percentage change with absolute change.
  2. Forgetting to use original value as base.
  3. Wrong application of successive percentage formula.
  4. Mixing up percentage points and percentage change.
  5. Not simplifying fractions before calculation.

FAQs

Q1. How to solve percentage questions fast?

Learn common fraction–percentage conversions and use mental math shortcuts.

Q2. Are percentage questions asked in SBI PO Mains?

Yes, usually in DI or arithmetic-based word problems.

Q3. How to calculate percentage change?

Use formula [(New – Old) ÷ Old] × 100.

Q4. Is percentage used in Profit & Loss?

Yes, for calculating gains and losses.

Q5. How to find original value from % change?

Work backwards using base = new × 100 / (100 ± change%).