Sort the relevant column. Identify qualifying rows. Verify the True/False statement against the data. Never compute — estimate and confirm.
Table Analysis (TA) presents a sortable data table. You answer True/False or Yes/No questions by sorting and reading specific columns. The key skill: know which column to sort, and what relationship to look for before you click.
| Country | GDP Growth % | Inflation % | Trade Balance ($B) |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 8.2 | 5.1 | -274 |
| Vietnam | 7.1 | 3.3 | +12 |
| Philippines | 6.4 | 6.0 | -45 |
| Saudi Arabia | 6.0 | 2.7 | +86 |
| Indonesia | 5.3 | 3.7 | +8 |
| Poland | 5.1 | 8.2 | -22 |
Key insight: Sort by the column mentioned in the question FIRST. Then scan the top (or bottom) rows depending on whether you need maximum or minimum values.
| Statement Type | What to Sort | What to Look For |
|---|---|---|
| Highest/Lowest | Target column DESC/ASC | Top or bottom row |
| Comparison (A vs B) | Either column | Row where both conditions meet |
| Count/How many | Filter column | Count rows above/below threshold |
| Both conditions (AND) | Primary filter first | Subset satisfying BOTH |
| Ratio or percent | Compute derived column mentally | Mental math on visible values |
Only select this if the table genuinely lacks the data needed. This is rare — most TA questions have a clear True or False answer in the data.
Read the statement carefully. Sort the column that DETERMINES the answer, not the one mentioned first.
A statement like "all countries with growth above 6% have positive trade balances" fails if even one doesn't.
A trade balance of -274 and +86 are very different. Always check the sign of numeric values.
The highest growth rate doesn't mean the largest GDP. Rank in one column says nothing about another.
If you need growth/inflation ratios, do rough mental math: 8.2/5.1 ≈ 1.6. Don't compute exactly.
More than 5 means >5 (excludes 5). At least 5 means ≥5 (includes 5). These change which rows qualify.
After sorting ascending, the SMALLEST is at the top. After descending, the LARGEST is at top.
When a question has two conditions (e.g., high growth AND low inflation), filter for both — don't stop at one.
-274 sorts BELOW -22 in ascending order. Confirm the sort direction before reading.
TA is a reasoning test, not arithmetic. Use estimates (≈) and ballpark math to stay in time.
Using the table above (India: GDP 8.2%, Inflation 5.1%, Trade -274B; Vietnam: 7.1%, 3.3%, +12B; Philippines: 6.4%, 6.0%, -45B; Saudi Arabia: 6.0%, 2.7%, +86B; Indonesia: 5.3%, 3.7%, +8B; Poland: 5.1%, 8.2%, -22B).
Statement: The country with the highest GDP growth rate has a negative trade balance.
Using the same table.
Statement: More than half of the countries listed have a positive trade balance.
Using the same table.
Statement: The country with the lowest inflation rate also has the highest positive trade balance.
Using the same table.
Statement: All countries with inflation above 5% have negative trade balances.
A table shows 8 companies with columns: Revenue ($M), Employees, Revenue per Employee ($K). Statement: The company with the second-highest revenue also has the second-highest revenue per employee.
A product sales table shows 10 products with columns: Product, Units Sold, Price ($), Revenue ($). A student wants to find which product generated the most revenue. Which column should be sorted first?
A table of 12 cities shows: City, Population (M), GDP per capita ($K), Unemployment %. Statement: Every city with GDP per capita above $50K has an unemployment rate below 5%.
A table of mutual funds shows: Fund Name, 1-Year Return (%), 3-Year Return (%), Expense Ratio (%), AUM ($B). Statement: The fund with the highest 1-year return also has the highest 3-year return.
In a Table Analysis question, a statement says "Fewer than 3 of the 10 listed companies have both revenue above $500M and fewer than 1,000 employees." The most efficient way to check is:
A country data table has columns: Country, Population (M), Area (km²), Population Density (per km²), HDI Score. Statement: The country with the highest population density has an HDI score above 0.8.
Always sort the relevant column first. Unsorted tables hide the answer in plain sight.
Universal statements are disproved by a single counterexample.
Filter on the more restrictive condition first to minimize the rows you inspect.
Negative values, percentage signs, and units can completely change the answer. Always check.