Data
Sufficiency
This section
is broken into 4 parts:
A. Introduction
B. Strategies for Solving Data Sufficiency Questions
C. Data Sufficiency Trick Questions
D. More practice questions
A. Introduction
In
this chapter, we will review strategies for the Data Sufficiency
questions and go over trick questions test designers write to
fool you on these questions.
The
Data Sufficiency questions (typically 1/3 of all the math questions)
do not require the test taker to find a solution. Instead, the
Data Sufficiency questions require the test takers only to find
if each of the statements provides enough information for solving
the question.
Data Sufficiency question instructions
look like this:
Directions: In each of the problems,
a question is followed by two statements containing certain data.
You are to determine whether the data provided by the statements
are sufficient to answer the question. Choose the correct answer
based up on the statement's data, your knowledge of mathematics,
and your familiarity with everyday facts (such as number of minutes
in an hour or cents in a dollar). (international students: 100 cents to the dollar).
Choose choice
A) if statement (1) by itself is sufficient to answer the question,
but statement (2) by itself is not;
B) if statement (2) by itself is sufficient to answer the question,
but statement (1) by itself is not;
C) if statements (1) and (2) taken together are sufficient to
answer the question, even though neither
statement by itself is sufficient;
D) If either statement by itself is sufficient to answer the
question;
E) If statements (1) and (2) taken together are not sufficient
to answer the question, requiring more data pertaining to the
problem.
Note: Diagrams accompanying problems
agree with information given in the questions, but may not agree
with additional information given in statements (1) and (2).
All numbers used are real numbers.
The
Data Sufficiency questions are broken into the stem (the top
question and two statements). You answer the question by determining
if the information in the two statements is sufficient to answer
the question.
Lets look at an example to clarify this.
(stem) What is the sum
of a + b?
(statement) (1) A = 5
(statement) (2) B = 10
Explanation: Statement (1) tells you that A is 5.
This is not enough information to answer the question. Statement
(2) alone is also not enough to answer the question. However,
if you combine the two statements, knowing that A=5 and B=10,
then you can determine the solution to the question.
w B. Strategies for
Solving Data Sufficiency
If you have any more questions or suggestions, email 24hourtutor@800score.com
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