Data Interpretation Tips

DI is all about how fast you can comprehend the given data and how fast and accurately you are able to add, multiply subtract, divide and calculate ratios percentages. Below are some of the tips to improve in ths section:

1. Spend about a minute to read the graph and the data properly. 2. Check the range of the options given. You may round off the data for calculations depending upon how far the choices are from each other. 3. Read the footnotes or the legends of the graphs and tables properly. Some people assume that the graphs and figures in the question paper are drawn to scale but this may not be the case. 4. Select the sets which are easy to comprehend and are easy to solve when taking Mocks or the real exam. The only way you will be able to identify easy question is by more practice. Expose yourself to as many questions on DI as possible. 5. Improve your calculation speed specially for calculation of averages and percentages. 6. Needless to say, more practise means more confidence and better result. So practise as much as possible from as many sources as possible. 7. Spend some time on analysis on what kind of mistakes you usually make and try to improve on these areas. 8. During your preparation, after you attempt questions on DI, be it right or wrong check the method used to solve the question by the writer of the book/reference material. Keep a record of all the questions you are not able to attempt correctly in the first go (Just write down Q No. Page No. and Book Name) and attempt these questions again after a few days. For Data sufficiency questions you dont have to actually solve the answers, you just need to find if the data given is enough to solve the questions. Improve speed and accuracy in Data interpretation/ Data Sufficiency. As there is no substitute

for hard work, its obovious that its ur hard work that can only improve your speed and skills. Practising more questions with setting your time period for exams will surely help u in developing speed. The more u practise the more quick u will be

DI Points to Remember DI: Points to Remember

-> In gleaning data from a chart, graph or table, it's remarkably easy to inadvertently grab your data from the wrong graph, bar, line, etc. This is the #1 cause of incorrect responses in CAT Data Interpretation. To avoid this blunder, point your finger to the data you want; put your finger directly against the question paper and keep it there until you're sure you're looking at the right part of the right chart or graph.

-> Check to see if the question asks for an approximation. If so, you can safely estimate numbers by rounding off. CAUTION: When rounding off fractions, round the numerator and denominator in the same direction (either up or down); otherwise you'll distort the value of the fraction.Don't confuse percentages with raw numbers. Always ask yourself which type of number the chart or graph is providing, and which type the question is asking for.

-> It's okay to rely on visual approximations when it comes to reading bar graphs and line charts. The test-makers are not out to test your eyesight. So if two or more answer choices come very, very close to your solution, rest assured that you needn't estimate values more precisely. Instead, go back to square 1; you've made some other mistake along the way.

-> Take 15-30 seconds right up front to assimilate and make sense of the chart, graph, or tableand be sure to read all the information around it. (You might need to scroll vertically to view all the information.) Get a sense for what the variables are and how they relate to one anotherbefore you tackle the questions. Tables, Charts, and Graphs-DI Tables, Charts, and Graphs (Data Interpretation) Graphs and charts show the relationship of numbers and quantities in visual form. By looking at a graph, you can see at a glance the relationship between two or more sets of information. If such information were presented in written form, it would be hard to read and understand. Here are some things to remember when doing problems based on data interpretation: 1. Take your time and read carefully. Understand what you are being asked to do before you begin figuring.

2. Check the dates and types of information required. Be sure that you are looking in the proper columns, and on the proper lines, for the information you need.

3. Check the units required. Be sure that your answer is in thousands, millions, or whatever the question calls for.

4. In computing averages, be sure that you add the figures you need and no others, and that you divide by the correct number of years or other units.

5. Be careful in computing problems asking for percentages. a. Remember that to convert a decimal into a percent you must multiply it by 100. For example,

0.04 is 4%. b. Be sure that you can distinguish between such quantities as 1% (1 percent) and .01% (one one-hundredth of 1 percent), whether in numerals or in words. c. Remember that if quantity X is greater than quantity Y, and the question asks what percent quantity X is of quantity Y, the answer must be greater than 100 percent.

WHAT DO WE UNDERSTAND BY DATA? Data refers to facts or numbers, collected for examination, consideration and useful for decision-making. It is in raw form i.e. it is in a scattered form. Information refers to data being arranged and presented in a systematic or an organize form, so that some useful inferences can be drawn from the same. By data we generally mean quantities, figures, statistics, relating to any event. WHAT DO YOU UNDERSTAND BY DATA INTERPRETATION? As the name implies, Data Interpretation is extraction of maximum information, as required by us from the given set of data or information. In other words the act of organizing and interpreting data to get meaningful information is known as Data Interpretation. The representation of data can be broadly classified as tables and graph. TABLES: Any statistical data pertaining to a situation can be represented by tables. Tables are the easiest and most convenient form of data representation if the data is reasonably limited. (1) Tables present data logically. (2) Tables give a birds eye-view of the data in a concise and a compact manner thereby saving time and space. (3) The columns and the rows that constitute any table facilitate data comparison. (4) Tables facilitate also analysis and informed decision-making, a la any other data representation type. Practice test DI Question Set-1

SET 4 Questions 16-20 Year 1999

Total no. of students 28,520 Year 2000

16. What is the difference of student in engineering stream in 1999 and 2000? 1. 260 2. 130 3. 390 4. 520 Answer 17. What was the % increase or decrease of students into Life Sciences in 1999 and 2000? 1. 1.27% decrease 2. 2.7% increase 3. 1.64% increase 4. 2.7% decrease Answer 18. What is the ratio of no. of students Graduates in Linguistics in 1999 to the no. of students in Graduates in Commerce in 2000? 1. 0.33 2. 0.66 3. 0.47 4. 0.57 Answer

19. What is the % increase in seats in the college from 1999? 1. 4.12 2. 6.06 3. 4.58 4. 5.09 Answer 20. How many streams in 2000 had more than 1800? 1. Three 2. All 3. Four 4. Five Answer

SET 3 Questions 11-15 The graph below shows the Ratio of Expenditure to Income of a company over the years

11. How many times the Expenditure was greater than income of the company? 1. 1999 2. 2000 3. 1997 4. 2001 Answer 12. If the income in 1997 was Rs. 368 crores, then what is the expenditure for the same year? 1.186 2. 202.4 3. 206 4. 276 Answer

13. If the earning in 2002 was Rs.524 crores, then what is the ratio of expenditure to income in 2002? 1. 0.64 2. 0.8 3. 1.24 4. Cant be determined Answer 14. If the ratio of income to expenditure is 0.8 in 2002,then what is the expenditure in 2002 if the earnings are Rs.679 crores? 1. 301.77 2.264.15 3. 377.2 4. 374.29 Answer 15. If the earnings in 2002 was Rs.816crore, then what is the % increase in expenditure in 2002 when compared to preceding year? 1.13 2. 12 3. 14 4. Cant be determined Answer

SET 2 Questions 6-10 The pie chart below gives details regarding Leather goods exports from India to different countries for two years. For 1996

For 1995

6. If the foreign exchange earned by India in 1995 by export of leather goods is Rs.7,864 crores, then what is the foreign exchange earned from New Zealand? 1. 865.04 2. 1336.88 3. 1100.96 4. 786 Answer 7. For which country the % export of leather goods was more in 1996 compared to the preceding year? 1. Mexico 2. China 3. UK 4. New Zealand Answer 8. If the foreign exchange earned in year 1997 was Rs.8760 crores, what is the foreign exchange earned from Japan in Rs.? 1. 2450 2.11239 3. 7501 4. Cant be determined Answer 9. Which country recorded the greatest % decrease of leather goods in 1996 when compared to 1995? 1. US 2. New Zealand 3. UK

4. None of these Answer 10. To which country leather goods export was there in 1995, but was not there in 1996? 1. Italy 2. Mexico 3. Japan 4. None of these Answer

SET 1 Questions 1-5 STEEL REQUIREMENT/PRODUCTION (consider the steel in K tonnes)

1. What was the average requirement of steel for the given years? 1. 131.6 2. 142 3. 140.5 4.139 Answer 2. How many times was the production less than the average production for the given years? 1. 2 2. 4 3. 3 4. None Answer 3. In which year the % increase in production was more than the preceding year? 1. 1998 2. 2000

3. 1999 4. 2001 Answer 4. If the % increase in production goes up by 10% in 2002.What is the difference between requirement and production in 2002? 1. 15 2. 16 3. 20 4. Cant be determined Answer 5. If the ratio of production to requirement in year 2002 is 2 : 3 and the total no. of tonnes of steel for production and requirement is 355,what is the % increase of production in 2002 compared to the preceding year ? 1. 3.21 2. 4.41 3. 5.02 4. None of these Answer Practice set answers DI Answer Set-1 Health Guru: Tips Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com Data Interpretation Answer Set-1 Set 1 Questions 1-5 Back to Questions 1. (135 + 137 + 141 + 144 + 145)/5 = 702/5 = 140.4 2. Average Production= (126 + 130 + 132 + 134 + 136)/5 = 131.5 In 1997 and 1998 the production was 126 and 130 which is less than the average production, hence twice.

3. 1997-1998 (137 -135)/135 * 100= 1.48 1998-1999 (141-137)/137* 100 = 2.919 1999-2000 (144-141)/141 * 100 = 2.217 2000-2001 ( 145-144)/144 * 100 = 0.694 1999 recorded greatest % increase in production.

4. Production in 2002 will be 136(1.1) = 149.6,but details about requirement is not given. Hence the difference between requirement and production cant be determined.

5. P = 2 R3 P + R = 355 P = (2 * 355 ) /5= 142 % increase = (142 136)/136 = 4.41 Back to Questions

Set II Questions 6-10 6. Foreign Exchange earned from New Zealand = 0.17 * 7864 = 1336.88

7. Only for U.K, China, Mexico the % increased U.K = (30 19)/19 *100 = 57.89

China = (19 15)/15 *100 = 26.66 Mexico = (14 10)10 * 100 = 40 UK had the highest % age increase.

8. % of Japan in 1997 is not known .hence cant be determined.

9. Only two countries had decrease US & New Zealand The percentage decrease US (9 - 14)/14 * 100 = 35.7 New Zealand (16 17)/17 * 100 = 14.28 US had the greatest % decrease. 10. Italy had exports from India in 1995 but not in 1996. Back to Questions

Set III Questions 11-15 11. E/I will be greater than I if E > 1 Only in 2000 the ratio was greater than 1

12. In 1997 the ratio is 0.75 E/I = 0.75 E=0.75*368 = Rs. 276 Crore 13.6

13. Can't be determined.

14. I/E = 0.8 = 4/5 E = 5/9 * 679 = 377.2

15. Can't be determined.

Set IV Questions 16-20 16. 25% of 28520 in 1999 = 7130 24% of 30250 in 2000 = 7260 Difference= 7260-7130 = 130

17. Graduates in Life Sciences in 1999 = 0.12 * 2850 = 3422.4 Graduates in Life Sciences in 2000 = 0.11 * 30250 = 3327.5 @ 3327 % decrease = (3422 3327 )/3422 * 100 = 2.7

18. (Graduates in Linguistics in 1999)/(Graduates in Commerce in 2000) =( 8 * 28520)/(16 * 30250) = 47/100

19. (30250 - 28520)/28520 * 100 = 1730/28520 = 6.06

20. Engineers and Graduates in MPC.