The GMAT Data Insights section tests how well you analyze information from multiple sources and use it to make decisions.

On the current GMAT, Data Insights contains:

• 20 questions;
• 45 minutes;
• five official question types;
• a 60–90 section-score scale;
• an on-screen calculator;
• computer-adaptive question selection;
• Question Review & Edit at the end of the section if time remains.

GMAC's current exam-content guidance says Data Insights measures your ability to analyze and interpret data and apply it to real-world business scenarios. It may require math, data analysis, verbal reasoning, or a combination of all three.

The section is therefore broader than "data interpretation." You may need to determine whether information is sufficient, reconcile several sources, understand a graph, sort a table, evaluate a trade-off, or combine verbal and quantitative reasoning in the same problem.

GMAT Data Insights at a Glance

The five official question types are:

1. Data Sufficiency
2. Multi-Source Reasoning
3. Table Analysis
4. Graphics Interpretation
5. Two-Part Analysis

For the complete three-section structure, see our GMAT exam format guide.

What Does the Data Insights Section Test?

GMAC describes Data Insights as measuring digital and data literacy.

More practically, it tests whether you can:

• identify relevant information;
• ignore irrelevant information;
• interpret numerical and verbal data together;
• understand relationships in tables and graphs;
• draw supported inferences;
• recognize discrepancies between sources;
• determine whether information is sufficient;
• evaluate trade-offs;
• combine quantitative and verbal reasoning.

You do not need specialized knowledge of the business, scientific, or social context used in a question.

The information required to solve the problem is provided in the question.

For the full current exam content map, see our GMAT syllabus guide.

The 5 GMAT Data Insights Question Types

1. Data Sufficiency

Data Sufficiency measures whether you can determine when enough information is available to solve a quantitative problem.

GMAC describes the skill as the ability to:

• analyze a quantitative problem;
• identify relevant data;
• determine the point at which there is enough information to solve it.

The objective is often not to calculate the final numerical answer.

Instead, you need to determine whether the available statements allow the question to be answered definitively.

How to think about Data Sufficiency

Ask:

1. What exactly must be determined?
2. What values or relationships would be sufficient?
3. Does the first statement provide enough information?
4. Does the second?
5. Do the statements become sufficient when combined?

GMAC's current Data Insights prep guidance specifically advises candidates to distinguish between a problem that allows one unique value and one that still permits a range of values.

Avoid hidden assumptions

Data Sufficiency often punishes assumptions.

For example, if a diagram is shown, GMAC warns that figures are not necessarily drawn to scale.

Use only what is stated or logically required.

2. Multi-Source Reasoning

Multi-Source Reasoning asks you to work with information presented across multiple sources.

Those sources can include:

• text;
• tables;
• graphics;
• or combinations of these formats.

GMAC says these questions may ask you to:

• identify discrepancies;
• draw inferences;
• determine relevance;
• combine information from several sources.

The challenge is not simply reading everything.

It is deciding which source contains the information relevant to the specific question.

How to approach Multi-Source Reasoning

Start by understanding the structure of the sources.

Ask:

• What does each source contain?
• Are the sources complementary or contradictory?
• Which source is likely to answer the question?
• Does a claim require evidence from more than one source?

GMAC advises candidates to use only the information provided and not allow outside subject knowledge to influence the answer.

3. Table Analysis

Table Analysis presents data in a sortable table, similar in some ways to a spreadsheet.

GMAC says the task is to sort and analyze the table to determine:

• what information is relevant;
• which records meet specified conditions;
• whether statements are supported.

How to approach Table Analysis

Before sorting, identify what the question requires.

For example:

• highest or lowest value;
• records above a threshold;
• a relationship between two columns;
• a condition that must hold for every row;
• a statement that applies only to certain observations.

Then sort the column that makes the relevant relationship easiest to see.

Do not sort simply because the feature is available.

4. Graphics Interpretation

Graphics Interpretation tests whether you can understand information presented visually.

GMAC gives examples including:

• scatter plots;
• x/y graphs;
• bar charts;
• pie charts;
• statistical distribution curves.

The task may require you to:

• read values;
• identify relationships;
• recognize a trend;
• compare categories;
• make an inference;
• integrate text with the graphic.

Read the labels before doing the math

A frequent source of error is not the calculation—it is misunderstanding:

• units;
• axis scales;
• percentages versus raw numbers;
• time periods;
• category labels.

GMAC specifically advises candidates to pay attention to discrepancies between units in the graphic and units in accompanying text.

5. Two-Part Analysis

Two-Part Analysis asks you to solve a problem with two linked response components.

The content can be:

• quantitative;
• verbal;
• or a combination.

GMAC says the format can test skills such as:

• evaluating trade-offs;
• solving simultaneous equations;
• understanding relationships between two entities.

The two tasks may be:

• independent; or
• dependent on each other.

How to approach Two-Part Analysis

First determine exactly what each response column is asking.

Then decide whether:

• the two parts can be solved independently;
• solving one part constrains the other;
• one answer option can satisfy both columns.

GMAC's official prep guidance notes that the same answer choice can sometimes be correct for both response columns.

Is Data Insights Computer-Adaptive?

Yes.

The current GMAT uses computer-adaptive testing across all three sections.

GMAC's current exam-day guidance states that all sections of the test use computer-adaptive testing.

That means Data Insights is not a fixed-form section.

As you progress:

• your responses inform the difficulty of subsequent questions;
• easier and harder questions can both appear;
• your score reflects the overall response pattern.

Older material that says Data Insights is non-adaptive is outdated.

That confusion often comes from the previous GMAT's Integrated Reasoning section, which used a different scoring model.

Data Insights is part of the current GMAT and should not be treated as simply "Integrated Reasoning with a new name."

How Is Data Insights Different From the Old Integrated Reasoning Section?

Several familiar formats from the previous GMAT appear in Data Insights, including:

• Multi-Source Reasoning;
• Table Analysis;
• Graphics Interpretation;
• Two-Part Analysis.

But Data Insights is not identical to the old Integrated Reasoning section.

Important differences include:

• Data Sufficiency moved into Data Insights from Quant;
• Data Insights contains 20 questions in 45 minutes;
• it is part of the current computer-adaptive exam;
• it is scored from 60–90;
• it contributes equally to the 205–805 Total Score.

Under the previous GMAT, Integrated Reasoning had its own separate score and did not contribute to the old 200–800 Total Score.

This change makes Data Insights a core part of overall GMAT performance rather than a secondary reported section.

For the full transition, see our guide to the GMAT Focus Edition and current GMAT.

Can You Use a Calculator in Data Insights?

Yes.

GMAC's current calculator policy states that the Data Insights section includes an on-screen calculator.

No calculator is available in:

• Quantitative Reasoning;
• Verbal Reasoning.

Personal calculators and calculator-enabled devices are prohibited unless specifically approved as an accommodation.

The calculator does not replace reasoning

Many DI questions are difficult because you need to determine:

• what to calculate;
• which data matter;
• which relationship applies;
• whether a calculation is needed at all.

Using the calculator efficiently is useful.

Using it before you understand the question can waste time.

How Is Data Insights Scored?

The Data Insights section score ranges from 60 to 90, in one-point increments.

GMAC's current score guidance confirms that Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Data Insights each use the same 60–90 section-score range.

All three sections are weighted equally when GMAC calculates the 205–805 Total Score.

That makes Data Insights just as important to the Total Score formula as Quant or Verbal.

What Determines Your Data Insights Score?

The GMAT is computer-adaptive, so the score is not simply:

correct answers ÷ 20.

GMAC's current scoring guidance emphasizes the overall pattern of responses and question characteristics, including difficulty.

Unanswered questions also matter.

Are some DI question types worth more?

GMAC explicitly lists as a scoring myth the idea that particular question types automatically carry more weight than others.

Do not assume, for example, that Data Sufficiency is inherently worth more than Table Analysis.

Does spending more time on a question directly reduce your score?

No.

GMAC lists that as another scoring myth.

The danger of spending too much time is that you may fail to finish the section.

What Happens If You Do Not Finish Data Insights?

There is a penalty for unanswered questions.

GMAC states that if you do not complete a section in the allotted time, your score is penalized based on the number of unanswered questions.

Your selected response must also be fully confirmed before time expires.

So your pacing strategy should prioritize completing all 20 questions.

Can You Revisit Data Insights Questions?

Yes—under the current Question Review & Edit system.

You first work through the adaptive section.

Once you have answered all 20 questions, if time remains, GMAC's exam-structure guidance allows you to:

• view the Question Review & Edit screen;
• revisit any question;
• review as many questions as time allows;
• change up to three answers.

You can also bookmark questions during the section.

This means the old advice that "you can never revisit a DI question once submitted" is no longer correct.

How Should You Use Review & Edit in Data Insights?

Bookmark selectively.

Useful candidates for review include questions where:

• you were unsure which source was relevant;
• a graph scale was easy to misread;
• you made a rushed calculation;
• you narrowed a statement to two plausible interpretations;
• you guessed to protect pacing;
• you want to verify a two-part relationship.

If a question required a long chain of analysis the first time, reopening it with 30 seconds left is unlikely to help.

Prioritize questions where you know exactly what needs checking.

GMAT Data Insights Timing

You have:

• 45 minutes
• 20 questions

That is an average of 2 minutes 15 seconds per question.

But this is only a benchmark.

Different formats require different time patterns.

A Multi-Source Reasoning set may require an upfront investment in understanding the source structure.

A short Data Sufficiency question may take much less time.

A rigid per-question timer can therefore be counterproductive.

Practical pacing checkpoints

One possible Admit Expert framework is:

These are not GMAC rules.

Adjust them using full-length official practice exams.

What Is a Good Data Insights Score?

There is no universal DI score that is good for every applicant.

The current scale is 60–90.

Your Official Score Report also includes a Data Insights percentile ranking.

GMAC updates percentile tables annually, so the same scaled score can have a slightly different percentile as the test-taking population changes.

Use the current percentile in your Official Score Report rather than relying on a permanent Data Insights percentile table.

Interpret your performance using:

• the current section score;
• the current percentile;
• your Total Score;
• your Quant and Verbal balance;
• your academic profile;
• your target programs.

For overall score planning, see What Is a Good GMAT Score? and our GMAT score chart.

Illustrative Data Insights Examples

The following are Admit Expert examples, not official GMAC questions.

They are designed to show the reasoning behind the question formats.

Example 1: Data Sufficiency

Question: Is (x > 5)?

Statement 1: (x^2 > 25)
Statement 2: (x > 0)

Statement 1 alone tells us:

(x > 5) or (x < -5)

So it is not sufficient.

Statement 2 alone tells us only that (x) is positive.

So it is not sufficient.

Together:

• (x^2 > 25)
• (x > 0)

Therefore (x > 5).

Conclusion: The two statements together are sufficient.

The key is not the final value of (x). It is whether the information is sufficient to answer the yes/no question definitively.

Example 2: Table Analysis

Suppose a sortable table lists:

• product;
• revenue;
• cost;
• profit margin.

A statement says:

Every product with a margin above 20% generated revenue above $100,000.

A useful approach is:

1. sort by profit margin;
2. isolate every product above 20%;
3. examine the revenue for every qualifying row;
4. determine whether the statement holds without exception.

One counterexample makes an "every" statement false.

Example 3: Graphics Interpretation

A graph shows that the average score for the first five months is 83.

What score is required in Month 6 for the six-month average to equal 85?

Required six-month total:

6 × 85 = 510

Existing five-month total:

5 × 83 = 415

Required Month 6 score:

510 − 415 = 95

Answer: 95

The calculation is simple. The DI skill is recognizing what the graph or accompanying information requires you to compute.

How to Prepare for GMAT Data Insights

A strong DI plan should build four capabilities:

1. data comprehension;
2. quantitative/verbal integration;
3. format familiarity;
4. time management.

Step 1: Learn All Five Question Formats

Before doing difficult timed sets, understand what each question type is asking you to do.

Know the difference between:

• determining sufficiency;
• reconciling sources;
• filtering a table;
• interpreting a graphic;
• completing a two-part task.

A surprising amount of wasted time comes from misunderstanding the response format.

Step 2: Build Data Sufficiency Logic

Do not solve every DS problem all the way to a final value unless necessary.

Ask:

Do I have enough information?

Practice testing statements separately before combining them.

Be particularly careful about:

• unstated assumptions;
• sign restrictions;
• ranges of possible values;
• whether a value must be unique.

Step 3: Learn Selective Reading for Multi-Source Reasoning

Do not treat every line in every tab as equally important.

First understand:

• what each source represents;
• where likely evidence sits;
• what the question actually requires.

Then retrieve the relevant information.

GMAC's official guidance emphasizes recognizing discrepancies, inferences, and source relevance.

Step 4: Use Table Sorting Purposefully

Before sorting, know the condition.

Sorting is useful when it helps you:

• isolate extremes;
• find a threshold;
• compare categories;
• inspect every row satisfying a rule.

Do not repeatedly re-sort without a clear analytical reason.

Step 5: Read Graphics Before Calculating

Before touching the calculator, check:

• axis labels;
• scale;
• units;
• legend;
• time period;
• percentages versus absolute values.

Many mistakes are interpretation errors disguised as math errors.

Step 6: Practice Two-Part Dependency

For Two-Part Analysis, explicitly ask:

Are these two tasks independent, or does the answer to one constrain the other?

Review all response options before committing.

The same option may sometimes satisfy both columns.

Step 7: Use the Calculator Strategically

The calculator is useful for arithmetic that would otherwise be tedious.

It is not useful for deciding which arithmetic matters.

Before entering numbers, identify:

• the relationship;
• the required quantity;
• whether approximation would be enough.

Step 8: Build an Error Log by Failure Type

Useful DI error categories include:

• selected irrelevant data;
• misread graph scale;
• unit mismatch;
• Data Sufficiency assumption;
• source-comparison mistake;
• incorrect inference;
• calculation error;
• misunderstood response format;
• timing guess;
• unnecessary calculation;
• answer changed without evidence.

This is more useful than logging only the question number.

Step 9: Add Timing After You Understand the Formats

Begin with untimed practice where necessary.

Then progress to:

• timed single-type sets;
• mixed DI sets;
• complete 20-question sections;
• full-length official GMAT exams.

The goal is not simply speed.

It is fast enough accurate reasoning.

Step 10: Practice the Full Adaptive Exam

Data Insights contributes equally to the Total Score, so it should not be treated as an optional add-on after Quant and Verbal preparation.

Practice it in different section-order positions:

• first;
• second;
• third.

Observe whether fatigue or section order changes your accuracy.

For a broader plan, see our GMAT preparation tips.

Use Current Official GMAT Material

GMAC's current Data Insights preparation page provides official strategies for each of the five formats.

GMAT Official Practice materials also help you learn:

• interface behavior;
• question formats;
• pacing;
• adaptive difficulty;
• Review & Edit.

This is particularly important for Data Insights because interface familiarity matters more here than in a conventional paper-based data set.

Common Data Insights Mistakes

1. Thinking DI is not adaptive

The current GMAT uses computer-adaptive testing in all sections.

2. Treating Data Insights as old Integrated Reasoning

There is overlap in question formats, but the scoring, role in the Total Score, and inclusion of Data Sufficiency are different.

3. Reading every source linearly

Multi-Source Reasoning rewards identifying the relevant source.

4. Using the calculator too early

Understand the relationship before calculating.

5. Misreading units

Always check graph labels, table units, percentages, and time periods.

6. Solving Data Sufficiency instead of evaluating sufficiency

The question is often whether the data are enough, not what the final value is.

7. Assuming figures are drawn to scale

GMAC explicitly warns against this in Data Sufficiency.

8. Ignoring verbal reasoning

DI can require verbal, quantitative, or mixed reasoning.

9. Believing you cannot revisit questions

Question Review & Edit allows end-of-section review if time remains.

10. Leaving questions unanswered

Unanswered questions create a scoring penalty.

Frequently Asked Questions About GMAT Data Insights

How many questions are in Data Insights?

There are 20 questions.

How long is the Data Insights section?

You have 45 minutes.

What are the five Data Insights question types?

They are:

1. Data Sufficiency
2. Multi-Source Reasoning
3. Table Analysis
4. Graphics Interpretation
5. Two-Part Analysis

Is Data Insights computer-adaptive?

Yes. GMAC says all sections of the current GMAT use computer-adaptive testing.

Was old Integrated Reasoning adaptive?

The previous GMAT's Integrated Reasoning section used a different model. Do not use old IR rules to describe the current Data Insights section.

Can I use a calculator in Data Insights?

Yes. The exam provides an on-screen calculator for Data Insights.

Can I bring my own calculator?

No. Personal calculators and calculator-enabled devices are prohibited unless approved as an accommodation.

Is Data Sufficiency in Quant or Data Insights?

It is now part of Data Insights.

What does Multi-Source Reasoning test?

Your ability to analyze information from multiple sources, identify relevance or discrepancies, and draw supported conclusions.

What does Table Analysis test?

Your ability to sort and analyze tabular data and determine whether specified conditions are met.

What does Graphics Interpretation test?

Your ability to understand graphical information, recognize relationships, and make inferences.

What does Two-Part Analysis test?

Complex reasoning with two response components. The content may be quantitative, verbal, or mixed.

What is the Data Insights score range?

60–90, in one-point increments.

Does Data Insights count toward the GMAT Total Score?

Yes. Data Insights, Quant, and Verbal are weighted equally in calculating the 205–805 Total Score.

What is a good Data Insights score?

There is no universal cutoff. Use your current 60–90 score, current percentile, overall Total Score, and target-school context.

Can I revisit a DI question?

After answering all questions, if time remains, Question Review & Edit allows you to revisit questions and change up to three answers.

What happens if I do not finish the section?

GMAC applies a penalty for unanswered questions.

Is every DI question purely quantitative?

No. GMAC says questions may require math, data analysis, verbal reasoning, or combinations of all three.

Do I need business knowledge to answer Data Insights questions?

No specialized subject knowledge is required. Base your answer on the information provided.

How much time should I spend per question?

The mathematical average is 2 minutes 15 seconds, but individual formats vary. Manage the full section rather than forcing every question into an identical time limit.

Final Takeaway

The current GMAT Data Insights section is a 45-minute, 20-question computer-adaptive test of data reasoning and decision-making.

To perform well, you need to become comfortable with:

• Data Sufficiency;
• Multi-Source Reasoning;
• Table Analysis;
• Graphics Interpretation;
• Two-Part Analysis;
• combining verbal and quantitative information;
• using the calculator selectively;
• managing time across different question formats;
• finishing all 20 questions;
• using Review & Edit intelligently.

Most importantly, prepare for Data Insights as a core scored section of the current GMAT, not as a renamed version of the old Integrated Reasoning section. It contributes equally to your Total Score and requires its own dedicated preparation.