Data Sufficiency Chapter 2: Strategies

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1. Memorize the Data Sufficiency answer choices.

The directions and answer choices for Data Sufficiency questions never change. Memorize them so that you have no problems on test day. There is no excuse for walking into test day without these five answer choices perfectly memorized!

A) Statement (1) by itself is sufficient to answer the question, but statement (2) by itself is not.

B) Statement (2) by itself is sufficient to answer the question, but statement (1) by itself is not.

C) Statements (1) and (2) taken together are sufficient to answer the question, even though neither statement by itself is sufficient.

D) Either statement by itself is sufficient to answer the question.

E) Statements (1) and (2) taken together are not sufficient to answer the question, requiring more data pertaining to the problem.

What does it mean that a statement is "sufficient"?

Sufficient does not mean that a statement is right or true, just that you can use the statements to derive an answer. Many beginning students err and think a statement is not sufficient if it proves the stem false.


2. Learn to simplify the statements

If n is an integer, is n/5 an integer?

(1) 4n/5 is an integer

(2) 5n/5 is an integer


What does this simplify into?

"Is n/5 an integer" means "is 5 a factor (divisor) of n?" because you want ot see if 5 can cleanly divides into n.

We can do the same thing with the statements 1 and 2.

1) is 4n divisible by 5
2) is 5n divisible by 5

Your first step when doing one of these questions is to try and factor it or translate it into similar language.


2a. Simplify by Consolidating Variables

If you have two or three variables in a question, you are probably not going to be able to find it sufficient. So you should try to consolidate all the variables into terms of one variable. This will help you solve for it much more easily.

3. Methodically progress through the two statements

It takes mental discipline to progress through the Data Sufficiency questions. The test writers deliberately build tricks to each question. There are two basic questions that you must ask yourself on every Data Sufficiency question:

Step 1: Rephrase the statements

Step 2: Can you answer the question using the information from statement (1) only?

Step 3: Can you answer the question using the information from statement (2) only?

Step 4: If the answer to both of these questions is "no," then you ask yourself a third question: can you answer the question if you combine the information from both statements?

Does 3 + x = 1?

1) x is positive
2) x is an odd number

3. Data Sufficiency process of elimination strategies

In Step 2, as you progress through each statement, you may eliminate questions. Just solve for one of the statements and you are halfway done.

Statement 1 is insufficient: automatically eliminate choices A and D, which require (1) to be sufficient.

Statement 1 is sufficient: automatically eliminate choices B, C and E, which require (1) to be insufficient.

Statement 2 is insufficient: automatically eliminate choices B and D, which require (2) to be sufficient.

Statement 2 is sufficient: automatically eliminate choices A, C and E, which require (2) to be insufficient.

4. Analyze questions in terms of sufficiency.

Do not think in terms of "what is the exact value", "is this true or false?" Instead, review questions in terms of one question, "is there enough information to answer the question?" Look at each statement and ask yourself if it provides enough information to arrive at a conclusion.

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Contents of Data Sufficiency Chapter: Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction   Chapter 2: Data Sufficiency Trick Questions   Chapter 3: More Practice Questions   Chapter 3 : More Practice Questions