How do I tell a discount error from a profit-percentage error?

Check the denominator: a discount uses the marked price, a profit or loss uses the cost.

What is the best habit when redoing error items?

Write the denominator before the calculation, then check the answer against the amounts.

P6 Maths Discount, Profit and Loss Paper 4: Error Review

2026-11-09

Tutor Prep Guide · P6 Maths

Ten original items, each with an answer and a one-line explanation.

Direct answers　Items 1-3 are basic, 4-6 intermediate and 7-9 challenge, with item 10 as the error review. Time yourself first, then check every answer and redo the wrong ones.

01　Paper details (check answers afterwards)

Item	Detail
Questions	10
Suggested time	20
Difficulty mix	Foundation 3 · Intermediate 3 · Challenge 3 · Error redo 1
Chapter	Chapter: P6 Maths Discount, Profit and Loss
Level	P6

02　Questions (10 items)

FoundationAn item costing 150 dollars sells for 180 dollars. Find the profit percentage.
FoundationAn item marked at 500 dollars is sold at 20% off. Find the price.
FoundationAn item costing 240 dollars sells for 216 dollars. Find the loss percentage.
IntermediateAn item sells for 264 dollars at a loss of 12%. Find the cost.
IntermediateAn item costing 360 dollars sells for 432 dollars. Find the profit percentage.
IntermediateAn item marked at 800 dollars sells for 680 dollars. Find the percentage discount.
ChallengeAn item is discounted by 20% twice. Find the total percentage discount.
ChallengeAn item costs 250 dollars, is marked at 400 dollars and sells at 25% off. Find the profit percentage.
ChallengeTwo items cost 300 dollars and 500 dollars; they are marked at 450 and 500 dollars and both sell at 20% off. Find the overall result.
Error redoError review: a pupil says a 80-dollar item sold for 100 dollars gives 20 ÷ 100 = 20% profit. What is the correct profit percentage?

03　Answers and one-line notes

#	Answer	One-line note
1	20%	The profit is 30 dollars, so 30 ÷ 150 × 100% = 20%.
2	400 dollars	500 × 0.8 = 400 dollars.
3	10%	The loss is 24 dollars, so 24 ÷ 240 × 100% = 10%.
4	300 dollars	Cost = 264 ÷ 0.88 = 300 dollars.
5	20%	(432 − 360) ÷ 360 × 100% = 20%.
6	15%	(800 − 680) ÷ 800 × 100% = 15%.
7	36%	0.8 × 0.8 = 0.64, so the price is 64% of the marked price and the total discount is 36%.
8	20%	The price is 400 × 0.75 = 300 dollars, a profit of 50, so 50 ÷ 250 × 100% = 20%.
9	a loss of 40 dollars	Takings are 360 + 400 = 760 dollars against a cost of 800 dollars, so the loss is 40 dollars.
10	25%	The denominator is the cost: 20 ÷ 80 × 100% = 25%.

04　What to do after marking

After marking, redo only the wrong items and write down which step went wrong (formula, unit, or misread number).
Repeat the same item two days later; move to the next paper only when both attempts are correct.
Parents only need the answer and note columns; there is no need to explain every item.

Book a Maths tutor Tutor Registration →

Questions and answers are written originally by the TutorZone team and are not taken from any school, publisher or examination authority paper. Every value is checked by computer.