DATA

INTERPRETATION
DISPLAYING DATA

Data can be displayed in many different ways, including tables and graphs. Both
tables and graphs can be used in calculations to evaluate and interpret the data.

Graphs show the relationship of numbers and quantities in visual form, so they are
the most common way of displaying data. By surveying a graph, you can very
quickly learn about the relationship between two or more sets of information and
determine if there are any trends.

Data interpretation involves computing and approximating numerical values based

on tables and graphs. GRE questions go beyond just reading the data, requiring
you to calculate averages or compare changes, for example.
Types of Data Interpretation
The various types of Data Interpretation are given below:
I. Tabular DI
II. Pie Charts
III. Bar Graph
IV. Line Graph
V. Case let DI
VI. Boxplots
VII. Histogram

1. Tabular DI: In Tabular DI, data is provided in horizontal rows and vertical
columns called tabular form. A table is one of the simplest and most convenient
tools used for summarizing data and presenting it in a meaningful way.

2. Pie Charts: It is a circular chart divided into various sectors. The sectors of
the circle are constructed in such a way that the area of each sector is
proportional to the corresponding values of information provided. In pie charts,
the total quantity is distributed over a total angle of 360° or 100%.
3. Bar Graph: In Bar Graph, data is represented as horizontal or vertical bars. One
of the parameters is given on the x-axis and other on y-axis. A bar graph or a bar
chart presents the grouped data with the help of rectangular bars. These bars are
either horizontal or vertical and their lengths are proportional to the value that they
represent.

4. Line Graph: A line graph shows the quantitative information or a relationship

between two changing quantities with a line or curve. A line graph or a line chart is a
geographical representation of the change in two variables over a period of time. A
line graph is created by connecting various data points.

5. Case let DI: In Case let DI, a long paragraph is provided and with that as the
basis, some set of questions are asked.
Tips to Solve Question-based on Data Interpretation

 Read the entire question carefully

 Analyze the data
 Pay attention to the units
 Use of approximation
 Use of last Digit
 Mental calculations
 Remember the following relations – Value of sector = (Angle of sector/360°) ×
Total Value

 Value of sector = (Percentage of sector/100) × Total value

Solved Examples of Data Interpretation
Tables
Directions: Study the following information carefully and answer the given questions
based on it.
The table shows the number of trees planted by the government in 6 different years.
Example : Find the respective ratio between the number of neem trees planted in
the year 2015 and the number of banyan trees planted in the year 2014.

Solution: Number of neem trees planted in 2015 = 45000

Number of banyan trees planted in 2014 = 35000
Required ratio = 45000 ∶ 35000 = 9 ∶ 7

Example : What was the approximate average number of neem trees planted in all
the years together?
Solution: Total number of neem trees planted in all the years = 25000 + 30000 +
45000 + 40000 + 55000 + 50000 = 245000

Required average = 245000/6 = 40833.33 ≈ 40830

(approx. depends on options given in question)
Directions: The table below shows the number of the laptops that were sold by the
showroom in the years from 2006 to 2010. Answer the below questions based on
the information given in the table.
Question 1 : How many percentages of laptops were sold by the showroom E in 2008
less than the showroom A in 2010?
A. 10
B. B. 12
C. C. 14
D. D. 16

Question 2 : What will be an average number of laptops sold by all the showrooms in
the year 2007?
A. 231
B. 222
C. 208
D. 213
Pie Chart
The following pie-chart shows the percentage distribution of the expenditure incurred
in publishing a book. Study the pie-chart and the answer the questions based on it.

Various Expenditures (in percentage) Incurred in Publishing a Book

Example : If for a certain quantity of books, the publisher has to pay Rs. 30,600 as
printing cost, then what will be amount of royalty to be paid for these books?

Solution:

Let the amount of Royalty to be paid for these books be Rs. r.

Then, 20 : 15 = 30600
=> r = Rs.(30600 x 15)/20 = Rs. 22,950.
Example :What is the central angle of the sector corresponding to the expenditure
incurred on Royalty?

Solution : 15% of 360=54

Directions: The following pie chart shows the amount of subscriptions generated
for India Bonds from different categories of investors.
Subscriptions Generated for India Bonds
Question 1 : In the Offshore Fund sector, approximately how many degrees should
be there in the central angle ?
A. 58%
B. 55%
C. 45%
D. 60%

Question 2 : If the investment by Offshore Funds are Rs 32,000 crore, then the
investments by NRI and FII's together is:
A. 78000 Crore
B. 88000 Crore
C. 98000 Crore
D. 10000 Crore
Question 3 : What percentage of the total investment is coming from FII's and
NRI's ?
A. 33 %
B. 11 %
C. 44 %
D. 22 %

Question 4 : What is the ratio of the investments in Corporate Houses to NRI ?

A. 33 : 34
B. 11 : 12
C. 34 : 11
D. 22 : 34
Bar Graph
Directions: Study the following graph carefully and answer the questions that
follow. The graph shows the results of students in a school.
 Example : The difference of number of students passed to those failed is minimum
in which year?
A. 1991-92
B. 1992-93
C. 1993-94
D. 1994-95

Solution
The difference between the number of students passed to failed for 1991- 92 = 150-100
= 50
The difference between the number of students passed to failed for 1992- 93 = 200-100
= 100
The difference between the number of students passed to failed for 1993- 94 = 300-50 =
250
The difference between the number of students passed to failed for 1994- 95 = 250-100
= 150
The difference is minimum for 1991-92,So, answer is A option.
Example : What is an approximate percentage of students failed during 5 years?
A. 65%
B. 27%
C. 51%
D. 80%

Solution

Required % = Total number of passed students / Total number of failed students =

(100 + 100 + 50 + 100 + 100) / (250 + 300 + 350 + 350 + 400)
= 450 / 1650
= 27.27% ≅ 27%
Directions: Read the chart carefully and answer the questions.

This bar graph shows the production and sale of mobile phones by the different
companies (in thousands):
Question 1 : In which of the companies the percentage sale of mobile phones is the
highest?

A. Lava
B. Samsung
C. Nokia
D. Micromax

Question 2 : What is the difference between the total unsold mobile phones by
Nokia and HTC together and the total unsold mobile phones by Samsung and
Micromax together?
A. 2000
B. 3500
C. 4500
D. 5000
Question 3 : What is the average of unsold mobile by all the companies?
A. 20000
B. 35000
C. 45000
D. 16000

Question 4 : The total mobile phones sold by Nokia company and Micromax
company together is approximately what % of the mobile phones produced by the
same company together?
A. 20
B. 35
C. 45
D. 75
Line Graph

The given Line graph Data Interpretation Chart shows the sales of shoes (in
thousands) from six stores in six different cities Kolkata, Patna, Dhanbad, Ranchi,
Asansol, and Gaya during three consecutive years 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Example : What is the ratio of the total sales of Patna store for three years to the
total sales of Asansol store for three years?
Solution
Total numbers of Campus shoes sales on Patna store in these three years =
80 + 120 + 140 = 340
Total numbers of Campus shoes sales on Asansol store in these three years =
150 + 210 + 280 = 640
Hence, required ratio = 340/640= 17 : 32

Example : Total number of Campus shoes sales on Gaya store and Patna store
together for three years is what percent of the total sales of Dhanbad store and
Ranchi store together for three years?
Total number of Campus shoes sales on Gaya store and Patna store together for
three years = (70 + 160 + 210 + 80 + 120 + 140) = 780
Total number of Campus shoes sales on Dhanbad store and Ranchi store
together for three years = (140 + 230 + 190 + 90 + 180 + 260) = 1090
%=780/1090=71.55%
Directions: Study the following graph to answer these questions

In the line graph the prices (in rupees) of four types of tile W, X, Y, Z respectively
are given for different years.
Question 1 : Which type of tiles shows the maximum percentage increase in the
price over the given period?
A.W
B.X
C.Y
D.Z

Question 2 : Which type of tiles shows the maximum average price over the
years?

A.W
B.X
C.Y
D.Z
Question 3 : In which year is the average price of all four type of tiles the
minimum?
A.2006
B.2008
C.2010
D.2011

Question 4 : Total price of all four types of tiles in 2012 is what percent more or
less than the total price of all four types of tiles in 2009?
A.1
B.2
C.0
D.3
Case Let DI
Directions: Study the given information carefully to answer the questions.
Siddhartha has decided to start a new company ‘Siddhartha Travels’. He wants to
buy some furniture – table, chair, air-conditioners. He also wants to buy a few
desktops which will include monitor, CPU, keyboard and mouse and the cost of each
table is 13.5 times the cost of a mouse and the cost of chair is 3/5 of the cost of a
table. The cost of an air conditioner is 5 times the cost of a chair. The cost of a
monitor is 20% more than the cost of a chair, A CPU costs Rs. 1500 more than a
table and the keyboard costs 4 times a mouse. The cost of a mouse is Rs. 1000.
Example : What will be the total cost of 1 table and 2 chairs together?
Example : What is the ratio of the cost of a CPU to the total cost of a mouse and a
keyboard together?

Solution:
Directions: Study the following information carefully and answer the following
questions:

I. A co-education school has 4000 students. The ratio of boys to girls is 3 : 2. All the
students are involved in five different activities, viz Gardening, Debate, Extempore,
Quiz and Dance.

II. 16% of the boys and 28% of the girls are in Extempore and Gardening respectively.
One-fifth of the boys are in Dance activities. The ratio of girls to boys in Extempore is 2
: 3.

III. 25% of the total number of students are in Debate competition. Girls in Dance are
60% of the boys in the same game. 22% of the girls are in Quiz. The remaining girls
are in Debate. 18% of the boys are in Gardening and the remaining in Quiz.
Question 1 : Which activity has the maximum number boys in the school?

A. Debate
B. Extempore
C. Dance
D. Quiz

Question 2 : What is the number of girls in Debate competition?

A. 288
B. 256
C. 455
D. 789
Question 3 : The number of girls in Quiz forms what per cent of the total number of
the students in the school?
A. 8.8
B. 2.5
C. 4.5
D. 7.8

Question 4: What is the total number of boys in Extempore and Debate

together?
A. 1128
B. 2568
C. 4559
D. 789
 Box Plots
The following boxplot shows the 2012 season runs batted in (RBIs) of 280
American League batters (the top 280 batters in terms of number of plate
appearances).

Question 1: What is the size of the IQR of this distribution?

A. 25
B. 47
C. 56
D. 83
Question 2 : How many AL hitters hit more than 25 RBIs in 2012?
A. 9
B. 56
C. 83
D. 114

Question 3 : B. J. Upton of the Tampa Bay Rays hit 78 RBIs in 2012; this
is the 90th percentile value on this chart. How many players hit between
56 and 78 RBIs?

E. 14
F. 22
G. 28
H. 34
Histogram
Question : The below histogram shows the weekly wages of workers at a
construction site
Answer the following questions:

(i) How many workers get wages of ₹ 60-70?

(ii) What is the cumulative frequency for the class 50-60?