Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) Data Insights Syllabus

How do you compute the mean of a data column with values $x_1,\dots,x_n$?

$$\bar{x}=\frac{1}{n}\sum_{i=1}^{n} x_i = \frac{x_1+x_2+\cdots+x_n}{n}$$

In Table Analysis, how is the range of a numeric column defined?

The range is the difference between the largest and smallest values: $\text{range} = x_{\max} - x_{\min}$. Sorting the column makes both endpoints easy to read.

In Graphics Interpretation (Reading Chart Types), how are answers typically entered?

Through drop-down menus embedded in sentences. You complete each blank by selecting the option (number, word, or phrase) that the graph supports, usually filling two drop-downs per question.

What is a scatter plot best used to reveal in Graphics Interpretation, and what does the trend/regression line indicate?

A scatter plot shows the relationship (correlation) between two variables. The trend line indicates direction: an upward slope = positive correlation, downward slope = negative correlation, flat/no pattern = little or no correlation.

How do you read a value from a line graph or scatter plot using its trend line for estimation?

Locate the $x$-value on the horizontal axis, move vertically to the line, then read horizontally to the $y$-axis. For points between gridlines, estimate (interpolate) proportionally between the nearest labeled values.

What does each part of a pie chart represent, and how do you convert a slice to an actual amount?

Each slice's angle/area represents a percentage share of the whole (all slices sum to $100\%$). Convert to an amount with $\text{slice value} = \text{percentage} \times \text{total}$, e.g., $25\%$ of a $200$ total $= 50$.

In a bar chart used in Graphics Interpretation, how do you compare two categories or read a stacked bar?

Compare bar heights against the axis scale for individual values. In a stacked bar, each segment's length is that subgroup's value, and the full bar height is the total — read segment boundaries against the axis.

What does the slope of a line on a Graphics Interpretation line graph represent?

The slope is the rate of change of $y$ with respect to $x$: $$\text{slope}=\frac{\Delta y}{\Delta x}=\frac{y_2-y_1}{x_2-x_1}.$$ A steeper line means a faster rate of change.

In Graphics Interpretation, why is estimation usually acceptable rather than exact calculation?

Drop-down options are typically spaced far enough apart that an approximate reading from the graph uniquely identifies the correct choice. Reading to the nearest reasonable gridline is generally sufficient.

When estimating from visual data, how should you handle a point that falls between two axis gridlines?

Interpolate: judge how far the point lies between the two gridlines (e.g., about a third of the way) and adjust the value accordingly, rather than rounding to the nearest gridline blindly.

What is the Two-Part Analysis question format, and how do you record an answer?

A prompt is followed by a table with two answer columns and a shared list of options in rows. You select exactly one option in each column (one per column), so the two answers may be the same row or different rows.

In Two-Part Analysis, can the same answer option be selected for both columns?

Yes — unless the question explicitly forbids it. The two columns are answered independently, so the same row can satisfy both columns if it fits both conditions.

What distinguishes a Quantitative Two-Part Analysis problem, and what is a typical column setup?

It involves numerical/algebraic relationships. Columns often ask for two related quantities, e.g., the value of one variable in column 1 and another in column 2, that must jointly satisfy a system of equations or constraints.

A common Quantitative Two-Part task gives two conditions to satisfy simultaneously. What is the efficient strategy?

Translate the conditions into equations, then test the option list. Find the one option per column such that both columns together satisfy all conditions — often by substituting candidate pairs rather than solving symbolically.

What distinguishes a Verbal Two-Part Analysis problem from a quantitative one?

It is based on a reading passage or argument. The two columns ask for verbal relationships — e.g., a claim and a counterclaim, a strengthener and a weakener, or two roles two statements play in the argument.

In a Verbal Two-Part Analysis asking for a 'statement that supports' and a 'statement that opposes' a position, how do you select?

Read each option against the stated position: choose for the support column the option most consistent with/strengthening the position, and for the oppose column the option most inconsistent with/weakening it. Each column gets exactly one option.

Across all Data Insights question types, what reasoning skill is being tested overall?

The ability to analyze and synthesize data presented in multiple formats — tables, graphs, text, and numbers — and to combine quantitative and verbal reasoning to make decisions, mirroring real business data analysis.

What are the five question types that make up the GMAT Data Insights section?

Data Sufficiency, Multi-Source Reasoning, Table Analysis, Graphics Interpretation, and Two-Part Analysis.

How do you convert a part-to-whole relationship into a percentage when reading Data Insights tables or charts?

$$\text{percentage}=\frac{\text{part}}{\text{whole}}\times 100\%.$$ For example, $30$ out of $120$ is $\frac{30}{120}\times100\%=25\%$.

How do you compute a percent change between an old value and a new value in a Data Insights problem?

$$\text{percent change}=\frac{\text{new}-\text{old}}{\text{old}}\times100\%.$$ A positive result is an increase; a negative result is a decrease.

In Data Sufficiency with variables, why is plugging in multiple numbers a reliable test of insufficiency?

If different valid number choices that satisfy the statement produce different answers to the question, the statement cannot determine a unique answer — directly demonstrating insufficiency without algebra.

In Table Analysis, how can sorting help you quickly verify a statement like 'more than half the entries exceed value $V$'?

Sort the relevant column descending, then count from the top how many entries exceed $V$. Compare that count to $\frac{n}{2}$; if it exceeds half of $n$, the statement is True.

What is the key difference between correlation and causation when interpreting a Data Insights scatter plot?

Correlation means two variables move together (positively or negatively); causation means one causes the other. A scatter plot can show correlation but never proves causation — beware of inference questions assuming cause.

In Multi-Source Reasoning, how should you treat numerical data spread across a table tab and a text tab?

Use the text tab for definitions, rules, or context (e.g., formulas, conditions) and the table tab for the raw numbers, then apply the text's rules to the table's values to compute or judge the answer.

For a Graphics Interpretation drop-down that asks to complete 'The variable $y$ is approximately ___ when $x=5$', what is your method?

Find $x=5$ on the horizontal axis, trace up to the curve/line, read across to the $y$-axis, then pick the drop-down option closest to that read value (estimating between gridlines if needed).

In Two-Part Analysis quantitative problems, why is back-solving from the option list often faster than solving algebraically?

Because the answer must be one of the listed options for each column, substituting candidate values into the conditions quickly confirms or eliminates pairs — avoiding lengthy symbolic manipulation under time pressure.

What does it mean for a Data Sufficiency statement to be sufficient by 'forcing a unique scenario' in a Yes/No question?

Although several specific cases may satisfy the statement, they all yield the same yes-or-no answer. Uniqueness of the answer (not of the underlying values) is what determines sufficiency in Yes/No questions.

In Table Analysis, how do you interpret a statement framed as 'For each row where A holds, B also holds' (a conditional True/False claim)?

Filter/sort to isolate rows where condition A is true, then check whether B holds in every such row. If even one A-row fails B, the statement is False; if all A-rows satisfy B, it is True.

When a Graphics Interpretation chart has two vertical axes (a dual-axis combo chart), how do you read each series correctly?

Match each data series to its own axis: read line/bar values for one series against the left axis and the other series against the right axis. Misreading a series against the wrong axis is a common error.

What overarching time-management principle applies to the Data Insights section's mixed question types?

Each question can require heavy reading or interactive sorting, so budget time per question, skim sources strategically, answer what the question specifically asks, and avoid over-analyzing data you do not need.