The data sufficiency questions are designed to test candidates reasoning ability. Basic knowledge of arithmetic, algebra and geometry is prerequisite to solve questions on data sufficiency. These questions indeed take lesser time in comparison to other questions, but then they can be very tricky. Just keep in mind that you have to see if the data is sufficient to get the desired the answers, please do not sit down to actually solve them.

How to solve data sufficiency questions:

1. Read the question and understand the formula and rule required to solve it.
2. Take statement I and use the information given in it along with the statement given in the question. Check if you can arrive at a solution. Do not try to solve the question, first ensure that a solution can be obtained. The student should be careful not to read any more into a statement than what is given.
3. Take statement II in isolation to statement I. Combine the information given in statement II with that of already given in the question. Check if you can arrive at a solution. Remember not to use data from statement I.
4. If a solution is not arrived at from either statements I or II individually, combine the data available from the two statements and check if you can arrive at a solution.
5. Select the right option.

Some important points for data sufficiency

Questions of data sufficiency are designed to tempt the students into making wrong and invalid assumption. This fact can be illustrated with the help of following examples.

Example: If a question asks for a numerical value, the question is answerable only if a statement provides data with which one can arrive at a unique value and not a range of values.  Now students are not required to calculate the value of 2⁹. We have to simplify tell whether statement I and II are sufficient to answer the question.

Now, try this test for GMAT data sufficiency problems.

Data sufficiency is one of the most important topics in GMAT and test makers just love to snare the students with easy looking statements. Students are strongly advised to check the question and reasoning statements thoroughly before arriving at conclusions. It’s data sufficiency GMAT, do not take it lightly!

Each problem contains a question and two statements which give certain data. You have to select the correct answer from 1 to 5 depending on the sufficiency of the data given in the statements to answer the question.

Mark (1) if statement I alone is sufficient to answer the question and statement II alone is not sufficient to answer the question.

Mark (2) If statement II alone is sufficient to answer the question and statement I alone is not sufficient to answer the question.

Mark (3) If the question can be answered by using either statement alone.

Mark (4) If statements I and II together are not sufficient to answer the question and additional data specific to the problem are needed.

Mark (5) If statements I and II together are sufficient to answer the question, but neither statement alone is sufficient

1. The profit made on selling the articles if either the selling price or the cost price of the articles is the Read more…

In order to do well and score high in GMAT data sufficiency section, you need to implement the right strategies. This is one of the sections where a lot of the output depends on how you prepared for it back home. Here are some things that you need to keep in the back of your mind.

Remember that a lot of questions are not what you think they are

• Applicants do the mistake of looking at the geometrical shapes and guessing the answers. Well, it would never be that easy and you will have to confirm through statistics rather than raw assumptions.
• On a different note, the questions wouldn’t be aiming to test your mathematical prowess. They would test your ability to differentiate between likely answers and conditions in a particular problem. Read more…

Data sufficiency in the GMAT is more about your reasoning abilities when it comes to numbers. It is less about calculations and more about having an eye out for the right answers. But in order to get it right, your approach should be right. Here are some tips that will help you go about with the right approach.

An aptitude for maths

Under the basic concepts in maths will definitely help. There is no denying that you have to be comfortable with numbers, percentages, decimals, fractions, algebra and geometry. Without a strong base it is hard to think about attempting the questions.

What are you looking for?

There is a great difference between problem solving and data sufficiency.

• In problem solving the aim is to get the answer to a particular calculation.
• In data sufficiency you might not need to get to the answer.
• Questions in data sufficiency often don’t go all the way. This means even before you get excited about solving the problem at hand, you will have to check whether you need to solve it or make intelligent guesses.
• The question often gives out two important pieces of information – What you need to find and the data that will suffice to arrive at the answer. In order to find that information you will have to look at the questions very carefully. Read more…