GMAT Data Insights Section

GMAT Data Insights Section: Developing an Approach

The Data Insights (DI) section of the GMAT evaluates your ability to interpret and analyze various forms of information, including textual, tabular, graphic, visual, quantitative, and verbal data. It integrates quantitative and verbal reasoning to solve problems in context. DI differs from the Quantitative and Verbal sections in two key ways: (1) it combines both reasoning types within its scope, and (2) it features four distinct response formats rather than only traditional multiple-choice questions.

The DI section includes five question types: (1) Data Sufficiency, (2) Table Analysis, (3) Graphic Interpretation, (4) Two-Part Analysis, and (5) Multi-Source Reasoning

In essence, DI questions test your ability to apply, infer, evaluate, identify, and strategize using information from diverse sources.

Data Sufficiency Questions

There are two types of Data Sufficiency (DS) questions: (1) Yes or no; and (2) What is the value?

Both aim to identify a unique answer to the question. In a Yes/No question, a unique answer will mean either an unequivocal YES or an unequivocal NO. If a statement or a combination of statements allows for the possibility of both YES and NO, then the statements are not sufficient.

Similarly, for a "value" question, you have to assess whether you can find the unique value for the variable or expression in the question. If you can find the unique value, the statement or statements are sufficient. If you cannot find the unique value, the statement or statements are not sufficient.

Table Analysis

Table Analysis (TA) questions require you to use an interactive table similar to a spreadsheet, so you need to acquire some experience working with Microsoft Excel tables. Table Analysis data are real-life data and thus may sometimes look ugly. You can infer information from them using the listing property and sorting capabilities of these tables. However, in the Data Insights section, you can sort tables only in ascending order; you do not have the luxury of other Excel features, such as being able to calculate difference, ratio, mean, median, standard deviation, correlation factor, etc.

Process of Solving TA Questions

(1) Understand the data set

Read the question narration and the table's column headings. Try to understand the relationship among the columns. Sometimes column headings are not very expressive; however, you can get information about them from the question narration, or any note outside the table area.

Don't be intimidated by the number of rows and columns. You will have to deal with only two to three columns and a few rows at a time. Quickly scan through the data in the table. By doing this, you will see whether the data is given in integers or in some ugly numbers in decimal form. If the data is given in decimals, you can always approximate them to make manageable integers.

(2) Understand the question

As you know, there are three dichotomous statement questions in a TA dataset. You have to mark each statement with either "Yes" or "No." Remember that there is no partial credit for the correct response(s); each of the three responses must be correct for you to get credit for the question.

Read and understand the question statement. Rephrase the statement in your own words, and if needed, translate it into mathematical language.

(3) Develop an approach

There could be two or more ways to approach a question. You may figure out that a question requires two-way sorting, but you can sort the table one column at a time. So, figure out the best approach to solving the question.

(4) Apply the approach

Apply your approach and click the correct radio button. You should jot down the results of any calculations you do. You might need one or two results from previous questions as intermediate steps for answering the questions that follow.

Graphics Interpretation

The Graphics Interpretation (GI) questions feature a graph alongside two multiple-choice questions. These questions appear as incomplete sentences, each with drop-down menus offering multiple-choice options to complete them accurately. The graph types can vary widely, including Venn diagrams, bar charts, line graphs, and others.

In some cases, the graphs may be complex. For example, one part of a graphic could be a magnified section of another. To navigate such challenges, it's crucial to carefully read the short synopsis provided below the graphic before answering. We advise test-takers to allocate no more than 2.5 minutes to complete each two-part question.

(1) Understand the data set

Read the question-narration and the elements of the graph, and understand the relationship of each element to the others. Occasionally, the plot area may not include legends. However, you can get information from the question narration, or notes outside the plot area.

(2) Understand the question

As you know, there are two fill-in-the-blank questions in a GI dataset, and you have to select the best option from a drop-down menu. Remember that there is no partial credit for correct responses. Both responses must be correct to get credit for the question. Read the statement and pause to understand it. Rephrase the question in your mind.

(3) Develop an approach

There could be two ways to approach a question. Most GI questions ask for a value in a statement to be filled in. However, it is not necessary to actually calculate values every single time. Even a logical approach can work and save you time.

(4) Apply the approach

Apply the approach you developed in the previous step and select the correct option. Keep track of the calculations, as they may be needed for intermediate steps in the next question.

Two-Part Analysis

Out of five parts in the DI section—DS, GI, TA, Two-Party Analysis, and Multi-Source Reasoning (MSR)—you will find the Two-Part questions more familiar than the others. However, you have to answer two parts in each question, as opposed to one part in the Quantitative Reasoning and the Verbal Reasoning questions.

There are three types of questions in the Two-Part section: (1) Quants-based, (2) Logic-based, and (3) Critical Reasoning-based

A Two-Part question asks two aspects of a question. The answers to both parts must be compatible with each other.

Two-Part Quant-Based

Two-Part Quant questions are more focused than one-part GMAT Quant PS questions, which are trickier and vaster in scope. Two-Part quant questions have comparatively lengthy word problems that focus on basic arithmetic and preliminary algebra. You must have excellent problem-solving skills to solve them.

Be careful to mark each part with its respective answer, as there are two answers.

Those who are good at quants will find Two-Part quant-based questions relatively easy. The key is to prepare well for Quants.

Process of Solving Two-Part Quant Questions

(1) Understand the question

Solving Two-Part quant questions is similar to solving any quant question:

Read and understand the information. Translate it into mathematical language and write it on the scratch board.

(2) Develop an approach

There could be two or more ways to approach a question. Many times, solving one part leads to the solution for the other part.

(3) Apply the approach

Apply the approach you developed in the previous step. There may be a question where you end up with only one linear equation with two variables. Though there is no unique solution possible for the question, many consistent and compatible solutions are always possible. The options will provide only one consistent and compatible solution.

Your last step is to click the correct radio buttons.

Two-Part Logic-Based

Two-Part logic-based questions are like those you might have encountered in the LSAT or other aptitude tests. The narration of these questions is comparatively lengthy and involves a mix of quantitative and verbal skills.

Solving logic-based questions is similar to solving quant-based questions, but it requires more thought.

Two-Part Critical Reasoning-Based

Two-Part CR-based questions are like the Critical Reasoning questions in the GMAT Verbal section. The questions may test your critical reasoning skills by asking about two aspects of widely known concepts such as assumption, strengthen and weaken, evaluate, strategize, and role play.

In a typical Verbal CR question, if you are asked to strengthen the argument, you can simply ignore the options that weaken the argument. However, in Two-Part CR-based questions, you will be asked to both strengthen and weaken the argument. Out of 5 to 6 option choices, 2 to 3 of them may strengthen the argument, while the other 2 to 3 options may weaken the argument.

Nevertheless, compared to Verbal CR questions, Two-Part CR-based questions are relatively easy. There might be only 2 to 3 options for each aspect, as opposed to Verbal CR questions, in which all five options may be crafted to test only one aspect.

Those who are good at answering Verbal CR questions will find the Two-Part CR section relatively easy. The key is to prepare well for the Verbal CR section.

Multi-Source Reasoning

Out of the five parts of the DI section—DS, TA, GI, MSR, and Two-Part questions—MSR questions may look scarier, but in reality, they are not. The MSR format is more along the lines of the Reading Comprehension format. Unlike the dataset of DS, TA, GI, and Two-Part, an MSR dataset may have 2 to 4 questions. You will find that one MSR dataset in the Official Guide online companion has as many as six questions. However, in the test, you will usually come across only 2 to 3 questions.

An MSR dataset comprises 2 or 3 tabs of information, but you can only see one tab at a time. This won't be difficult if you've sorted spreadsheets in Excel, where you only see one sheet. You can view other tabs with a click of the mouse. As with the TA questions, the MSR questions have interactive prompts.

There are three types of questions asked in the MSR: (1) Quants-based, (2) Verbal-based, and (3) A mix of Quants and Verbal-based.

Process of Solving MSR Questions

(1) Understand the data set

Examine the details provided in each tab. Understand it, but do not read it more than once at this stage. Then read the question. Remember that only one question will be visible at a time. Keep in mind that you have, on average, 7.5 minutes to answer all three MSR questions.

(2) Understand the question

Read the question and make sure you understand it, so you know what you are looking for. Read the tabs again to gather information for the answer. Repeat this for the other two questions. By the time you answer the third question, you should have read the tabs at least three times.

(3) Develop an approach

You will have to gather information from more than one tab. Say, for example, a question asks about a company's profit. Suppose Tab 1 gives details about revenue and sales, whereas Tab 2 gives details about budget and cost. You must sift through both tabs to get the answer.

(4) Apply the approach

Apply the previous step to finally solve the problem. Do your scratch work neatly, as you may need to use some calculations again to answer another question.