What exactly does the GMAT Data Insights section test me on?
The GMAT Data Insights section tests your data analysis skills across five areas, Data Sufficiency, Multi Source Reasoning, Table Analysis, Graphics Interpretation and Two Part Analyses, spread over 20 questions in 45 minutes, making it the section most focused on reading and interpreting data rather than pure calculation.
Your GMAT Data Insights section tests data analysis skills across five distinct question types, spread over 20 questions in 45 minutes. This section leans more on interpreting information than on raw calculation, which makes it feel different from the Quant section even though both involve numbers.
Five Question Types Inside Data Insights
| Question Type | What It Tests |
|---|---|
| Data Sufficiency | Whether given data is enough to answer a question |
| Multi Source Reasoning | Analysing information spread across several sources |
| Table Analysis | Reading and sorting data presented in tables |
| Graphics Interpretation | Drawing conclusions from charts and graphs |
| Two Part Analyses | Solving problems with two related answer components |
Where This Section Came From
Data Insights is a newer addition to the GMAT and takes over much of what the earlier Integrated Reasoning section used to test. Because it is less familiar to most applicants than Quant or Verbal, it often needs dedicated preparation time of its own.
My Advice
Practice each of the five Data Insights question types separately before mixing them in a timed set, since each one demands a different reading approach. Pay special attention to Multi Source Reasoning and Table Analysis, as these tend to take applicants the longest to get comfortable with.
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