GMAT Focus Edition — Data Insights: Table Analysis · Graphics Interpretation · Multi-Source Reasoning · Two-Part Analysis
Home Course Data Insights Lesson 5
Data Insights Lesson 5 of 20

Data Insights:
Section Overview & Strategy

DI = 20 questions in 45 minutes. Table Analysis, Graphics Interpretation, MSR, Two-Part Analysis, and Data Sufficiency. Each type requires a different skill and time budget.

45 mins
🎯 DI 70 to 85
📚 Prereq: None
Note: DI is ⅓ of your total GMAT Focus score. Know all 5 question types, their time budgets, and how they are scored. No section is optional.
1

DI Section Overview: What to Expect

The GMAT Focus Edition Data Insights (DI) section replaced the old Integrated Reasoning section. It is 45 minutes, 20 questions, and is scored on the same 205–805 scale as Quant and Verbal, contributing equally to your total score.

DI Section at a Glance
20
Questions
45
Minutes
2:15
Avg per question
Of total GMAT score
2

Question Type Breakdown

Question TypeAbbrev.Approx. CountFormat
Table AnalysisTA4–6True / False / Cannot Determine
Graphics InterpretationGI3–5Fill in the blank (dropdown)
Multi-Source ReasoningMSR4–6Yes/No/Cannot Determine or MCQ
Two-Part AnalysisTPA3–5Select one answer per column
Data SufficiencyDS3–5Standard 5-choice DS format

Note: The exact mix varies per test. Data Sufficiency now appears in DI (not Quant) on the GMAT Focus Edition.

3

How DI Is Scored

Scoring Mechanics
DI is adaptive: difficulty adjusts based on your correct/incorrect answers. Getting harder questions correct scores more.
For MSR prompts: all sub-questions must be correct to receive full credit. Partial credit may not exist.
TPA: both columns must be correct for the question to count. One wrong = zero for that question.
DI contributes equally to the total GMAT Focus score (same weight as Quant and Verbal).
4

Time & Pacing Strategy

Time Budget Per Question Type
TA
~1.5 min
GI
~1.5 min
MSR
~2.5 min
TPA
~2.5 min
DS
~2 min
5

10 DI Overview Traps

⚠ Treating DI as less important

DI is ⅓ of your total GMAT Focus score. Neglecting it while focusing only on Quant and Verbal is a strategic mistake.

⚠ Spending too long on MSR tab reading

Read MSR tabs for structure, not every detail. You can always return to a specific tab when a question asks about it.

⚠ TPA: wrong column selection costs the full question

Both Column 1 and Column 2 must be correct. A single error zeroes out the question.

⚠ Not checking if the chart has labels/units

Before answering any GI question, verify the chart's axis labels and units. Misidentifying the y-axis scale is fatal.

⚠ Confusing TA question types

Some TA questions are True/False; others are "how many" or "which of." Read the question stem, not just the statement.

⚠ MSR: bringing outside knowledge

Only use information from the tabs. GMAT MSR does not reward domain expertise — it tests reading comprehension and logic.

⚠ Not using the scratch pad for TPA

TPA math benefits greatly from writing out the equation before looking at the table. Don't do algebra in your head.

⚠ Skipping questions due to time anxiety

Unanswered questions count against you. Guess strategically and move on. Never leave a question blank.

⚠ Misidentifying DS in the DI section

DS questions appear in the DI section on GMAT Focus. They use the same 5 answer choices (A)-(E) as before.

⚠ Overconfidence in GI visual reading

Charts can be misleading. Always do a quick numerical sanity check even when the visual answer seems obvious.

10 Practice Questions

Q1 of 10
TA~500

On the GMAT Focus Edition, the Data Insights section contains how many questions and takes how long?

Explanation: 20 questions in 45 minutes. The DI section is exactly 20 questions and 45 minutes, giving an average of 2 minutes and 15 seconds per question.
Q2 of 10
TA~550

Data Sufficiency (DS) questions appear in which section of the GMAT Focus Edition?

Explanation: Data Insights section only. In the GMAT Focus Edition, DS was moved from Quant to DI. The Quant section now contains only Problem Solving questions.
Q3 of 10
TPA~550

In a Two-Part Analysis question, if you correctly identify Column 1 but select the wrong value for Column 2, you receive:

Explanation: Zero credit for the entire question. TPA requires BOTH columns to be correct. An error in either column results in zero for that question. This makes TPA high-stakes and demands careful verification.
Q4 of 10
GI~550

Which DI question type typically requires the most time per question?

Explanation: Multi-Source Reasoning. MSR requires reading multiple tabs, synthesizing across sources, and answering 3 sub-questions per prompt. This typically takes 2-3 minutes total per prompt — more than any other type.
Q5 of 10
TA~650

A Table Analysis question shows a sortable table. The statement reads: "Exactly two countries in the table have both a GDP above $1 trillion and an unemployment rate below 4%." The most efficient way to evaluate this is:

Explanation: Sort GDP descending, find countries with GDP > $1T, check unemployment. GDP > $1T is likely the more restrictive filter. Start there to reduce the candidate rows, then check unemployment for each qualifying row. This minimizes the total checks needed.
Q6 of 10
GI~600

A Graphics Interpretation question shows a pie chart of 5 market segments. Segment C appears to represent about 30% of the pie. The total market value is not provided in the chart. A statement says "Segment C accounts for the majority of the market." This statement is:

Explanation: False — 30% is not a majority. A majority means more than 50%. A 30% segment is the largest of 5, but 30% < 50%. Even without the total market value, we can determine the segment's percentage share from the pie chart. "Majority" has a specific mathematical meaning.
Q7 of 10
MSR~650

An MSR prompt has three tabs. Tab 1 is an industry report; Tab 2 is a company press release; Tab 3 is an analyst's note. A question asks about the company's current R&D spending. Which tab is most likely to have the most reliable figure?

Explanation: Tab 2 — the company press release. The company is the primary source for its own financial data. Industry reports and analyst notes may contain estimates or outdated data. For current spending, the company's own disclosure (press release) is most authoritative.
Q8 of 10
TA~550

Which of the following correctly describes the difference between Table Analysis and Graphics Interpretation?

Explanation: TA evaluates True/False statements about sortable data; GI fills in blanks about a visual. These are the defining format differences. TA = table + True/False. GI = chart/graph + dropdown fill-in-the-blank.
Q9 of 10
TPA~600

If you have 5 minutes remaining and 2 TPA questions left in the DI section, what is the best strategy?

Explanation: Spend 2.5 minutes each — attempt both carefully. With 2:30 per question you can execute a solid TPA attempt. Leaving questions blank or guessing randomly wastes potential points. The GMAT Focus does not have negative marking — always answer every question.
Q10 of 10
GI~550

A student consistently scores well on Quant and Verbal but poorly on DI. Their GMAT Focus total score is most affected by:

Explanation: DI performance equally with Quant and Verbal. The GMAT Focus Edition total score (205–805) is equally weighted across all three sections: Quantitative, Verbal, and Data Insights. DI is NOT a minor component — it carries the same weight as the other two sections.
Lesson Summary
DI = ⅓ of total GMAT Focus score

Equal weight to Quant and Verbal. Neglecting DI directly hurts your total score.

5 question types, different strategies

TA: sort and verify. GI: read axes, fill blanks. MSR: skim all tabs, synthesize. TPA: anchor-check. DS: evaluate each statement.

TPA: both columns must be correct

Zero credit for one wrong column. Always verify both selections satisfy the constraint.

DI is adaptive

The section adjusts to your level. Getting harder questions correct yields more points — so accuracy matters more than speed.