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Data Sufficiency

 

                    INTRODUCTION TO DATA SUFFICIENCY

 

An effective manager is one who can look through a problem and is able to visualize the solution even before he has actually solved the

problem. Data Sufficiency (DS) is a tool used in management entrance exams to check such competence in budding managers.

In DS, the candidates have to answer a certain set of questions on the basis of a specific type of directions initially provided. Further,

each question is followed by a set of data, usually in the form of two independent statements. The candidates need to check whether the

data provided in these statements is enough to solve the question or not. Unlike in Quant or in DI, since the set of options in DS does

not vary for each question, it is not provided at the end of each question: rather, it is specified beforehand in the set of directions.

Examples given later illustrate the same point.

DS, which carries considerable weightage in the CAT, is more scoring and less time consuming compared to several other areas, as here

the answer can be obtained, very often, without solving the question.

 

(A) Number of questions asked in DS over the previous few years:

TABLE (I) gives an illustration of the number of questions asked and the marks awarded for each question from this area.

 

                                                  Table (I)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(B) Types of DS questions asked in CAT:

DS questions asked in CAT can be broadly classified in two kinds – Quant based and Reasoning based – depending on the subject

involved. However, it is possible that a few questions involve both the subjects to some extent.

(i) Quant based

Example:

What will be the time for downloading the software?

I. Transfer rate is 6 kilobytes per second.

II. The size of the software is 4.5 megabytes.

Both the statements are required to answer the question.

(ii) Reasoning based

Example:

Is C taller than all the other persons among A, B, C and D?

I. There is no person taller than C.

II. There are at least two persons shorter than C.

Both the statements are also not sufficient to answer the question.

(C) There can be different types of directions for the same question, and accordingly the answer choice may vary.

Some of the types of directions (Type I and Type II) which appeared in earlier CAT exams are given below:

TYPE I:

Each problem contains a question and two statements, I and II, giving certain data. You have to select the correct answer from (1)

to (4) depending on the sufficiency of data given in the statements to answer the question. Mark as your answer

1 if the question can be answered by using statement A alone but not by using B alone.

2 if the question can be answered by using statement B alone but not by using A alone.

3 if the question can be answered by using either statement alone.

4 If the question can be answered by using both the statements together but not by either statement alone.

TYPE II:

Each problem contains a question and two statements, I and II, giving certain data. You have to select the correct answer from (1)

to (4) depending on the sufficiency of data given in the statements to answer the question. Mark as your answer

1 if the question can be answered by using one of the statements alone but cannot be answered by using the other statement alone.

2 if the question can be answered by using either statement alone.

3 if the question can be answered by using both statements together but cannot be answered by using either statement alone.

4 if the question cannot be answered even by using both the statements together.

The type of directions can vary by varying one or more conditions. So, a several types of directions can be created and hence the

candidates are advised to understand the fundamentals / logic of the directions rather than memorizing the directions themselves.

 

 

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