What does the Data Insights section test?
According to GMAC, the section tests your ability to synthesize data, evaluate information, and identify connections across different sources—the skills GMAC describes as data literacy. Data Insights (opens in a new tab)
Two differences from Quantitative Reasoning: an on-screen calculator is provided, and Data Sufficiency asks you to judge whether the information is enough to answer, without necessarily calculating the answer.
In the score
Scored from 60 to 90, like the other two sections; all three count equally toward the total score, which ranges from 205 to 805. Understand your score (opens in a new tab)
The score calculation, in the GMAT guideWhat are the five question types?
Twenty questions covering five types, as described by GMAC.
Type 1
Data Sufficiency
A question, then two pieces of information: which are enough to answer it—the first, the second, both, or neither?
Type 2
Multi-Source Reasoning
Information spread across tabs—text, tables, and charts—to combine in order to answer.
Type 3
Table Analysis
A table you can sort by column, followed by statements to judge: yes or no, true or false.
Type 4
Graphics Interpretation
A chart and a short passage: complete the sentences by choosing from dropdown menus.
This page’s example
Two-Part Analysis
Two related problems, with two answers to find.
- AStatement 1 alone is sufficient, but statement 2 alone is not sufficient.
- BStatement 2 alone is sufficient, but statement 1 alone is not sufficient.
- CBoth statements together are sufficient, but neither alone is sufficient.
- DEach statement alone is sufficient.
- EStatements 1 and 2 together are not sufficient.
GMAC explains that the goal is not to calculate the answer, but to determine whether the information is sufficient. Data Insights (opens in a new tab)
In each section, you can mark as many questions as you like. After answering every question, if time remains, you can review them and change up to three answers. Test structure (opens in a new tab)
A worked Two-Part Analysis example
An Upsilar-written Two-Part Analysis question. Choose one answer per column, then check your work: the explanation follows the strategy below.
A bookstore sells a novel in two editions: paperback, at $12 a copy, and hardcover, at $30 a copy. Last month, it sold 50 copies of the novel in total, for total sales of $960.
Choose an answer in each column.
The solution, step by step
Correct answer: 30 paperbacks, 20 hardcovers.
The method in action
- Read the question first. We need two numbers linked by two equations: p + h = 50 copies, and 12p + 30h = $960.
- Calculate only what you need to decide. If all 50 copies were paperbacks, the revenue would be 50 × $12 = $600. Each hardcover adds $30 − $12 = $18; the shortfall is $360, or $360 ÷ $18 = 20 hardcovers. So there are 30 paperbacks.
- Check each part. 30 × 12 + 20 × 30 = 360 + 600 = $960, and 30 + 20 = 50: both equations hold. One answer per column: 30, then 20.
The pitfall
Switching the columns gives 20 paperbacks and 30 hardcovers—50 copies, but $1,140. Check a pair against both equations, not just one.
Key takeaways
For two linked answers, write both equations before looking at the table, then check the pair against the prompt.
What strategy should you use for Data Insights?
Upsilar’s three-step strategy, adapted to the five question types.
Read the question before the data.
Tables, tabs, and charts may contain more information than the question requires. GMAC points out that test takers often find the right answer… to the wrong question.
Calculate only what you need to decide.
In Data Sufficiency, you do not need to calculate the answer; you decide whether it could be found. For other question types, an estimate is often enough to decide, with or without a calculator.
Check each part.
When a question has multiple parts, check every answer against the data: one mistake makes the entire question incorrect. In Two-Part Analysis, also make sure the two answers satisfy the constraints together.
The pitfall to avoid
Solving a Data Sufficiency problem all the way through. The goal is not to calculate the answer, but to decide whether the information is sufficient; time spent finishing the calculation comes at the expense of later questions.
How much time do you have per Data Insights question?
Average per question
2 min 15 sec
45 minutes ÷ 20 questions, according to GMAC figures
It has the most time per question of the three sections—2 minutes 9 seconds in Quantitative Reasoning and 1 minute 57 seconds in Verbal Reasoning—and you need it: a Multi-Source Reasoning question requires reading multiple tabs before choosing an answer. Data Insights (opens in a new tab)
An unfinished section
Incomplete section: a penalty accounts for the number of unanswered questions. It's better to answer every question within the allotted time. Test structure (opens in a new tab)
What is the GMAT?, in the GMAT guideWhen are two bounds still not enough?
Five short Upsilar learning cases build on the formats in this guide. Each isolates a useful skill before the full practice set. The interfaces are simplified: these are neither official questions nor a score simulation.
Choose an answer.
The solution, step by step
E — even together, the two statements are not enough to decide.
The method in action
- Test the first statement on its own. Both r = 9 and r = 11 satisfy r > 8. The first gives no; the second gives yes.
- Test the second statement on its own. The same values satisfy r < 12 and still give different answers.
- Combine them without adding assumptions. Both values also fall in the interval 8 < r < 12. Even together, the statements leave both yes and no possible. A, B, and D incorrectly say the information is sufficient; C overstates what combining them tells us.
Key takeaways
Narrowing an interval is not enough if it still crosses the threshold in the question.
To practice evaluating statements independently and identifying definite no answers: GMAT Data Sufficiency: reason about sufficiency, not the value
How do you apply an update without forgetting the rule?
This fictional case includes an initial record, a rule, and an update. Read the question, then find the relevant source. The names and values were created for this example.
| Employee | Months of service | Security training completed |
|---|---|---|
| Dana | 5 | Yes |
| Eli | 8 | No |
| Fara | 9 | Yes |
Sources B and C
Source B — Policy. Employees may request remote access only if they have at least six months of service and have completed security training.
Source C — Update. Dana now has seven months of service. Eli has completed security training. All other entries in the register are unchanged.
Choose an answer.
The solution, step by step
E — all three people meet both conditions.
The method in action
- Read the rule. Both requirements apply: at least six months and the training. Meeting only one is not enough.
- Apply the specific changes. Dana goes from five to seven months; her training remains complete. Eli stays at eight months and completes the training. Fara remains at nine months with training completed.
- Compare the options. A misses both updates. B and C each miss one. D overlooks Fara, who still qualifies. Only E keeps all three eligible records.
The pitfall
The update does not replace the record: it leaves out information that is still valid.
Key takeaways
A decision combines the rule, the initial state, and the relevant change.
To review a three-tab case and combine project data: GMAT Multi-Source Reasoning: cross-reference information without getting lost
Does sorting let you compare rates directly?
The following table is fictional and sortable. Late orders are included in the total number of orders. The number of late orders and the late-order rate answer two different questions.
| Warehouse | Orders | Late orders |
|---|---|---|
| Harbor | 400 | 8 |
| Meadow | 200 | 10 |
| Ridge | 300 | 9 |
For each statement, choose Yes if it is supported by the table and No otherwise.
Choose a word for each blank.
The solution, step by step
Yes, No, Yes.
The method in action
- Compare the volume. Harbor has 400 orders, ahead of Ridge at 300 and Meadow at 200, so the first statement is true.
- Calculate the relevant rate. Harbor is at 8/400 = 2%, Meadow at 10/200 = 5%, and Ridge at 9/300 = 3%. Meadow alone disproves the second statement.
- Combine the totals. Overall, 27 late orders out of 900 is 3%, below 4%. The simple average of the three rates is not the overall rate because the order volumes differ.
Key takeaways
For an overall rate, add the totals before dividing.
To combine region, revenue threshold, and return rate: GMAT Table Analysis: filter data before calculating
How do you turn a difference in bar heights into a percentage?
This bar chart starts at zero, and its alternative table shows the same values. It represents the number of tickets handled, not growth rates.
| Reference | Day | Tickets resolved |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monday | 24 |
| 2 | Tuesday | 30 |
| 3 | Wednesday | 36 |
Choose an answer.
The solution, step by step
D — a 50% increase.
The method in action
- Read the levels. The starting value is 24 and the ending value is 36, a difference of 12 tickets.
- Choose the baseline. The increase is measured against Monday: 12/24 = 1/2, or 50%.
- Tell the distractors apart. 33⅓% divides by Wednesday, the wrong baseline. 25% is the increase from Monday to Tuesday. 40% uses Tuesday as the baseline for the difference of 12. 60% matches none of the requested comparisons.
Key takeaways
A relative change is measured against the starting value, even when the chart only shows levels.
To distinguish a level, a change, and a share of a whole: GMAT Graphics Interpretation: read axes, proportions, and trends
How do you check two related quantities before choosing the columns?
This second example builds on the bookstore example. Here, the containers have different capacities, so the counts must satisfy both the total number of containers and the total volume.
A laboratory fills 14 containers with a total of 40 liters of solution. Small containers hold 2 liters each and large containers hold 4 liters each.
Choose an answer in each column.
The solution, step by step
8 small containers and 6 large ones.
The method in action
- Set a baseline scenario. Fourteen small containers would hold 28 liters. That is 12 liters short of the 40-liter total.
- Measure each replacement. Replacing a small container with a large one adds 2 liters. So you need 12/2 = 6 large ones, then 14 − 6 = 8 small ones.
- Check the pair. 8 + 6 = 14 and 2 × 8 + 4 × 6 = 40. The system uniquely determines this pair. Reversing the values gives 44 liters, and other values do not satisfy both equations.
The pitfall
A total of fourteen containers alone does not confirm the volume.
Key takeaways
Check the full pair against both constraints and in the correct column order.
To compare a numerical case with assigning people to two roles: GMAT Two-Part Analysis: find two linked answers
Data Insights FAQs
Can you use a calculator in Data Insights?
Yes. An on-screen calculator is provided, unlike in Quantitative Reasoning, according to GMAC.
Do you need to solve Data Sufficiency questions?
You do not need to calculate the requested answer; you need to decide whether the information is sufficient. An intermediate calculation may help. The answer choices, A through E, are the same for every question.
In what order should you take the three sections?
Whichever order you prefer: GMAC lets you choose. You can take an optional 10-minute break after the first or second section.
Can you go back and change an answer?
Yes. After answering every question in a section, if time remains, you can review questions and change up to three answers. GMAC says there is no limit on how many questions you can mark during a section.