Data Insights Skills tested on the GMAT

Data Insights Reasoning Section of the GMAT Skills

GMAC states that the Data Insights (DI) section measures your ability to comprehend and evaluate multiple types of information: textual, tabular, graphic, visual, quantitative, and verbal, and that it applies quantitative and verbal reasoning to solve problems in relation to one another. This section differs from the Quantitative and Verbal sections in two ways: (1) DI comprises both quantitative and verbal reasoning, and (2) DI prompts use four different response formats rather than only the traditional multiple-choice format used for Quantitative and Verbal questions.

There are five types of questions tested in the Data Insights section: (1) Data Sufficiency, (2) Table Analysis, (3) Graphic Interpretation, (4) Two-Part Analysis, and (5) Multi-Source Reasoning.

In a nutshell, the DI questions assess your ability to apply, infer, evaluate, recognize, and strategize information from multiple sources.

Data Sufficiency Questions

Data Sufficiency (DS) questions are not exactly asking you to solve a problem, rather, they are testing whether you can accurately assess for relevant information and decide if you have all the necessary information to solve a problem. You will be given two statements containing data. Using your knowledge of algebra, and/or arithmetic and the provided data, you will have to determine if you are able to answer the given question. Essentially, DS questions test your ability to analyze data and identify which pieces are necessary to solve a problem.

Table Analysis questions

Table Analysis (TA) questions present a table similar to a spreadsheet. The table can be sorted only in ascending order in any of its columns by selecting the column's title from a drop-down menu above the table. Usually, a brief text provides an explanation of the table. The question presents three statements, values, or expressions. You may be asked whether each statement is true or false, or if "Yes" or "No" can be inferred from the information.

You may be asked to: calculate the mean, median, range, ratios, proportions, or probabilities; recognize correlations between two sets of data; compare data in relation to other data; or select a statement that best helps explain the data given in the prompt.

As with Multi-Source Reasoning (MSR) datasets, Table Analysis prompts are interactive.

Graphic Interpretation

Graphic Interpretation (GI) questions present a chart, graph, diagram, or other visual forms of information. The chart is followed by two fill-in-the-blank-type statements, in which you have to "fill in the blank" by choosing the best option from a drop-down menu.

Graphic Interpretation questions include those involving column charts, line graphs, pie charts, Venn diagrams, scatterplots, bubble graphs, flow charts, organization charts, and strategy maps.

Unlike Table Analysis and MSR prompts, Graphic Interpretation prompts are static.

Two-Part Analysis

Two-Part Analysis (2PA) questions present a small passage or quantitative problem. There are two correct choices related to the information given. The choices are given in tabular format, with the possible answers listed in the third column. You have to select one choice in each column. The question may test you on GMAT mathematical concepts, for instance, two aspects of a probability—"the probability that anyone can do the job" and "the probability that no one can do the job." Similarly, for verbal concepts, it may ask questions on strengthening/weakening the argument, inferable/not inferable premises, assumption/fact distinctions, the existence of cause/effect, characteristics/predictions distinctions, or strategies applicable to, say, companies X and Y.

Unlike the TA and MSR prompts, the GI and 2PA prompts are static.

Multi-Source Reasoning

As the name suggests, Multi-Source reasoning questions comprise information from more than one source. An MSR question will have two or three tabs of information; however, you can view only one tab at a time by clicking it. The tab may contain written passages, graphs, diagrams, tables, or other types of visual information.

A typical MSR dataset will have three questions; however, you will find three to six questions in the Official Guide per dataset. There are two question formats for Multi-Source Reasoning: (1) Multiple-choice questions and (2) Multiple-dichotomous choice questions

There are five answer choices for multiple-choice questions, and you have to select the correct answer choice. A multiple-dichotomous question presents three statements, values, or expressions. You may be asked whether, according to the information, each statement is True/False, Agreeable/Not Agreeable, Acceptable/Not Acceptable, Supported/Not Supported, or Inferable/Not Inferable. As with Table Analysis prompts, MSR prompts are interactive.