5 Steps to Ace Data Sufficiency Questions on GMAT
On the GMAT Quantitative Reasoning Section, there are 31 questions: Problem Solving (PS) and Data Sufficiency (DS) questions. Most of us are already familiar with PS questions in which there are 5 answer choices out of which one answer choice is correct. In other words, PS questions are Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) with one correct answer.
On the other hand, DS questions are new for most of us. This post will learn more about the DS questions and how to crack them.
Firstly, let’s have a look at the sample question below:
Let’s take a look at some of the tips and tricks to solve DS questions:
1. The Answer Choices are Fixed: All the DS questions have fixed answer choices which are given below. The first step is to get familiar with them as they are always the same. his will help in saving your time.
2. Know the trick ‘AD-BCE’: Now that you know what the answer choices are, let’s have a look at how to use them smartly. AD-BCE trick is really helpful to reach the final answer.
There are two scenarios:
“AD”- If the first statement is coming out as sufficient, then your answer would be either A or D. Eliminate B, C and E answer choices and directly jump to solving the second statement. If the second statement is also sufficient, then D is your answer. If not, then the answer is A.
“BCE”-If the first statement is not sufficient, you can cross off A and D and focus on options B, C and E.
Evaluating the statements individually first will help you answer easily and quickly.
3. Solving the question without actually solving: Data sufficiency question does not demand the solution of the given question but asks you to figure out which statements are sufficient to answer. For example, suppose you have to find the value of x and one of the statements is 3257x - 4385=92(670).
As it is a linear equation, there will always be a definitive value of x. So, no need to solve it because you know you will get one value of x from here. Whereas in a quadratic equation, you need to find the values because quadratic can have zero, one or two values of x.
Data sufficiency questions always ask for one definitive solution. If you are getting multiple answers from a statement, then it is not sufficient to answer.
4. Kinds of DS Questions: There are two basic kinds of data sufficiency questions- Yes/No questions and Value questions. Yes/No questions ask whether or not the given question is true. If Yes or No are definitive, then they are considered sufficient. If they are sometimes Yes or sometimes No, they are insufficient to answer.
Value questions demand numerical value as an answer. If you are getting one specific value from the statement, then that statement is sufficient.
5. Plugging in the numbers: The GMAT loves to test number properties. While plugging in the numbers in place of variables, you have to make sure that you consider real numbers (integers, fractions, roots) and not just natural numbers (1,2,3). You may also need to plug more than one number so make sure you choose an easy number to save time and expedite the calculation.
Data Sufficiency Type questions can be very challenging. However, if you keep the above-mentioned pointers in mind and set yourself up with solid practice material after covering all the fundamentals, you are on your way to a higher score in GMAT Quant.
Good Luck!
