Short Tricks for Railway Exams 2025, Check Important Details

Short Tricks for Railway Exams: Competitive exams like RRB NTPC, Group D, ALP, and RPF test candidates not just on knowledge but also on speed and accuracy. Among all the quantitative aptitude topics, Percentage, Profit & Loss, and Time-Speed-Distance problems appear frequently and carry good weightage.

Many aspirants find these topics lengthy, but with the right short tricks and formulas, you can save time and solve more questions quickly. This article covers easy methods and exam-focused tricks to handle these topics effectively.

Why are Short Tricks for Railway Exams Important?

The short tricks and tips are very useful for candidates appearing in the railway exams. Some of the reasons to learn short tricks are as follows:

• The time limit is strict; you cannot spend more than 40–50 seconds on one question.
• Many questions are calculation-based; tricks help reduce lengthy steps.
• Shortcuts improve accuracy, as you rely on tested formulas.
• With practice, they help build confidence and speed during the exam.

Short Tricks for Percentage Problems

Percentages form the base of many other topics like Profit & Loss, Simple Interest, and Data Interpretation. Given below are the details:

1. Basic Percentage Conversion

• x% = x/100
• 25% = 1/4, 50% = 1/2, 75% = 3/4, 12.5% = 1/8, 20% = 1/5

2. Percentage Change Formula

• If a number increases by x% and then decreases by x%, the net change = (x²/100)% decrease.
  Example: If price increases by 20% and then decreases by 20%, net change = (20²/100) = 4% decrease.

3. Finding Percentage Quickly

• x is what % of y? → (x/y) × 100
  Example: 45 is what percent of 90? = (45/90) × 100 = 50%.

4. Shortcut for Successive Percentage Increase

• Formula: (a + b + ab/100)%
  Example: Price increased by 10% and 20% → Net increase = (10 + 20 + 10×20/100) = 32%.

Short Tricks for Profit & Loss Problems

Profit and Loss questions are directly based on percentages, but short tricks make them quicker. The formulas are given below:

1. Basic Formulas

• Profit = Selling Price – Cost Price
• Loss = Cost Price – Selling Price
• Profit % = (Profit / Cost Price) × 100
• Loss % = (Loss / Cost Price) × 100

2. When Profit% and Loss% are Equal

• Formula: Overall Loss % = (x²/100)%
  Example: A shopkeeper gains 10% on one article and loses 10% on another. Net loss = (10²/100) = 1%.

3. Quick Selling Price Formula

• If profit% = p, then SP = (100 + p)/100 × CP
• If loss% = l, then SP = (100 – l)/100 × CP

4. Marked Price Trick

If the shopkeeper marks goods x% above cost and gives y% discount:

• Net Gain% = x – y – (xy/100)
  Example: Marked up by 50%, discount of 20%. Net gain = 50 – 20 – (50×20/100) = 20%.

Short Tricks for Time, Speed, and Distance Problems

Railway exams always have a good number of time-speed questions, often framed around trains, platforms, and boats. The important details for time, speed and distance problems are as follows:

1. Basic Formula

• Speed = Distance / Time
• Time = Distance / Speed
• Distance = Speed × Time

2. Relative Speed

• When objects move in the same direction: Relative Speed = (A – B)
• When objects move in opposite directions: Relative Speed = (A + B)

Example: Two trains moving at 60 km/h and 40 km/h in opposite directions. Relative speed = 100 km/h.

3. Shortcut for Crossing Problems

• If two trains of lengths L1 and L2 cross each other in t seconds,
  Relative Speed = (L1 + L2)/t
• If a train of length L crosses a platform of length P in t seconds,
  Speed = (L + P)/t

4. Average Speed Trick

When equal distance is covered at two speeds:

• Average Speed = (2xy)/(x + y)
  Example: A man travels to a place at 30 km/h and returns at 60 km/h. Average speed = (2×30×60)/(30+60) = 40 km/h.

5. Boat & Stream Trick

• Downstream Speed = (Boat + Stream)
• Upstream Speed = (Boat – Stream)
• Speed of Boat = (Downstream + Upstream)/2
• Speed of Stream = (Downstream – Upstream)/2

Tips to Apply Short Tricks Effectively

As an exam applicant, you must know how to apply these short tricks and tips effectively to score well in the examination. Some of the ways are given below:

1. Practice Daily: Tricks work only when you are comfortable applying them quickly.
2. Use Approximation: In MCQs, sometimes options are far apart—approximation can save time.
3. Avoid Over-Reliance: Use tricks when calculations are lengthy; otherwise, basic formulas are enough.
4. Solve Previous Year Papers: Many railway exam questions follow a set pattern.
5. Make a Formula Sheet: Keep a one-page summary of all percentage, profit-loss, and speed-distance tricks for revision.

Example Questions with Short Trick Solution

We have given below some sample questions with their solutions. Candidates can follow these questions to have an idea about the difficulty level:

Q1. A man buys an article for ₹500 and sells it at a profit of 20%. What is the selling price?
SP = (100 + 20)/100 × 500 = (120/100) × 500 = ₹600.

Q2. A train 150 m long crosses a pole in 15 seconds. Find its speed in km/h.
Speed = Distance/Time = 150/15 = 10 m/s = 10 × 18/5 = 36 km/h.

Q3. Price of a product increases by 20% and then decreases by 20%. Find net change.
Net change = (20²/100)% = 4% decrease.

In railway exams, speed is the key. Topics like Percentage, Profit & Loss, and Time-Speed-Distance can be solved in seconds if you know the right short tricks. By learning formulas like net percentage change, net profit with discount, relative speed, and average speed, you can attempt more questions accurately within the time limit.

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