GMAT · Section guide 6 · 5 min read
GMAT Multi-Source Reasoning, Table Analysis and Graphics Interpretation
How to approach three GMAT Data Insights question types: Multi-Source Reasoning tabs, sortable Table Analysis and Graphics Interpretation drop-downs.
Three data-reading question types
Three of the five Data Insights question types are built around reading data presented on screen:
- Multi-Source Reasoning: information spread across two or three tabs.
- Table Analysis: a sortable table.
- Graphics Interpretation: a graph or diagram with drop-down menus.
They share one core skill: finding the right information quickly and reading it accurately. Most mistakes come not from hard calculations but from misreading a label, a unit or a statement.
Multi-Source Reasoning
What you see
The screen is split. On one side are two or three tabs, each holding a different source: for example, a short report, an email exchange, a table or a chart. On the other side is a question. Several questions usually share the same set of tabs.
Questions come in two forms:
- a standard multiple-choice question with five options;
- a set of statements to judge, each with two options such as yes/no or true/false. All the statements must be judged correctly for credit.
How to approach it
- Skim every tab first. In under a minute, note what each tab contains: "Tab 1 = project rules; Tab 2 = budget table; Tab 3 = manager's email".
- Read the question, then go to the tab or tabs it needs.
- Watch for conditions that apply across tabs. A rule in one tab may change how you read numbers in another.
- Expect the first question in a set to take longest. Later questions on the same tabs should be quicker.
An example of our own. Tab 1 sets out a company's travel policy: flights over four hours may be booked in a higher class. Tab 2 is a table of planned trips with durations. Tab 3 is an email saying one trip has been extended by an hour. A statement asking whether a particular trip qualifies for the higher class needs all three tabs.
Table Analysis
What you see
A table of data, sometimes with many rows and several columns, sits above a set of statements, usually three. Each statement has two options, such as true/false, yes/no or would help/would not help. You must judge all statements correctly to get credit.
You can sort the table by any column using a menu. Sorting changes the order of the rows, not the data.
How to approach it
- Read the column headings and any notes above the table. Check units, such as thousands or percentages.
- Read each statement and decide which column it concerns.
- Sort by that column. Questions about the highest, lowest, median or rank become much easier once the data is sorted.
- Count carefully. For the median of a column, sort it and find the middle row.
Watch for: statements that concern a subset, such as "among the regions with sales over 500". Sort by one column, then check the other column only for the relevant rows.
Graphics Interpretation
What you see
A graph or diagram, such as a bar chart, line graph, scatterplot, pie chart or flowchart, followed by one or two statements, each with a blank. You complete each blank by choosing from a drop-down menu.
How to approach it
- Read the title, axes, units, scales and key before anything else. Check whether an axis starts at zero and whether the scale is even.
- Read the full statement, including the words after the blank, before opening the menu.
- Estimate first. You often only need to know which option is closest.
- Check the logic. Some blanks ask for a relationship (such as positive, negative or none) rather than a number.
An example of our own. A scatterplot shows the price of second-hand cars against their age. A statement reads: "The relationship between age and price is ______." From a cloud of points sloping downward, the answer would be "negative", not "positive" or "no relationship".
Common traps across the three types
| Trap | How to avoid it |
|---|---|
| Misreading units | Check headings and axis labels every time |
| Using the wrong tab | Note what each tab contains before starting |
| Losing a condition | Re-read the statement's qualifying words before answering |
| Reading the wrong row after sorting | Run your finger, or cursor, along the full row |
| Over-calculating | Estimate when the options are far apart |
Using the calculator
The on-screen calculator is available throughout Data Insights. It helps with awkward division or percentages, but for comparisons, such as "is A more than twice B?", estimation is usually quicker and just as reliable.
Exam tip: with yes/no or true/false statements, decide each one independently. The statements are not designed to have a balanced mix of answers, so do not change one because "they can't all be true".
How to practice
Use real tables and charts from business and economic news. Sort spreadsheets by different columns and write three true-or-false statements of your own about each. For graphs, practice describing the trend in one sentence after reading the axes. The habits you build, checking units and finding the right column, carry directly onto the test.
Check yourself
- What should you do first when you see a Multi-Source Reasoning set?
- Does sorting a table change the data?
- What should you read before looking at the drop-down options in Graphics Interpretation?
- Is there partial credit for a Table Analysis question with three statements?
Find practice material and the rest of this series on the GMAT hub.