What the section measures
Data Insights asks you to interpret and combine information presented as text, tables, charts and short sets of documents. Many questions draw on both quantitative and verbal reasoning at once, which is why students who are strong in only one of the other two sections often find it the hardest.
It is scored from 60 to 90, like the other sections, and carries the same weight in the 205–805 total. See how the GMAT is scored.
The five question types
| Type | What it asks you to do |
|---|---|
| Data Sufficiency | Decide whether two statements give enough information to answer a question — not what the answer is. |
| Multi-Source Reasoning | Combine information from two or three tabbed sources, such as emails, reports and tables. |
| Table Analysis | Sort a table of data and judge whether each of several statements is supported by it. |
| Graphics Interpretation | Read a chart or graph and complete statements from drop-down options. |
| Two-Part Analysis | Choose two related answers, one per column, that together satisfy the question. |
Several of these types contain more than one part, and you generally need every part right to earn credit for the question. A question that looks mostly correct is, for scoring purposes, wrong.
Data Sufficiency deserves separate practice
Data Sufficiency moved into Data Insights from the quantitative section, and it is the type that most rewards a fixed method. The answer choices are always the same five: statement 1 alone is sufficient, statement 2 alone is sufficient, both together are needed, each alone is sufficient, or even both together are not enough.
- Test each statement on its own first, ignoring the other completely.
- Only if neither works alone, combine them.
- Stop as soon as you know whether the data is sufficient. Solving for the actual value spends time the question does not reward.
You can try a Data Sufficiency question with a full explanation on the free questions page.
Timing and the calculator
Twenty questions in 45 minutes averages a little over two minutes each, but the types are not equal: a Multi-Source Reasoning set can take much longer to read than a single Data Sufficiency question. Practise with mixed, timed sets so you learn when to move on.
The on-screen calculator is available only in this section. Use it for arithmetic that would otherwise cost accuracy, but most questions are about judgement rather than computation, and reaching for the calculator by reflex is slower than estimating.
Common questions
- How many questions are in GMAT Data Insights?
- Twenty questions in 45 minutes, across five question types: Data Sufficiency, Multi-Source Reasoning, Table Analysis, Graphics Interpretation and Two-Part Analysis.
- Can you use a calculator on GMAT Data Insights?
- Yes. An on-screen calculator is available in Data Insights, and it is the only GMAT section where one is provided.
- Is Data Insights weighted less than Quant and Verbal?
- No. On the current GMAT all three sections are scored 60–90 and contribute equally to the 205–805 total.
Sources
Test owners change formats and policies. Where this guide and the owner’s own page disagree, the owner’s page is right — and we would like to know, at contact.