Calculating successive percentage changes
Question
The increase in the price of a certain item was 25%. Then the price was decreased by 20% and then again increased by 10%. What is the resultant increase in the price?
Options
5%
10%
12.5%
15%
Explanation
Apply the successive percentage changes sequentially onto a standard baseline value of 100.
New Price = 100 + 25 = 125.
Decrease Amount = 20\% of 125 = 0.20 × 125 = 25. New Price = 125 - 25 = 100.
Increase Amount = 10\% of 100 = 10. Final Price = 100 + 10 = 110.
Compare the final price back to the initial baseline: Resultant Increase = 110 - 100 = 10. Relative to 100, this is exactly a 10\% net increase.
Answer: (b).
Question details
Year
2022
Paper
CSAT
Question
Q20
Section
Numerical Ability
Sub-topic
Percentages
Type
Factual single
Difficulty
Easy
Source hint
Increase 25%, decrease 20%, increase 10%
Same sub-topic — other years
Percentages has appeared in multiple CSAT papers:
Q23
2026
Quantitative — Percentage Balance Systems
Q30
2025
Successive percentage increase-decrease relation
Q30
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Applying successive percentage changes to determine a final value
Q45
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Determining the final percentage change after multiple sequential operations
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