{"id":26916,"date":"2014-12-30T03:00:57","date_gmt":"2014-12-30T10:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/2014\/12\/the-two-most-common-errors-in-gmat-data-sufficiency\/"},"modified":"2014-12-30T03:00:57","modified_gmt":"2014-12-30T10:00:57","slug":"the-two-most-common-errors-in-gmat-data-sufficiency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/the-two-most-common-errors-in-gmat-data-sufficiency\/","title":{"rendered":"The Two Most Common Errors in GMAT Data Sufficiency"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"gmat<\/a>GMAT data sufficiency questions <\/a>test your ability to analyze a quantitative problem and recognize which information is necessary to figure out the solution.\u00a0 What a data sufficiency question does NOT test you on is your ability to calculate and number-crunch.\u00a0 A simpler way of addressing this might be to ask yourself a question as you work through a data sufficiency problem: \u201cIs this enough?\u201d\u00a0 Keep this in mind as you evaluate (and on test day<\/a>, avoid) two specific common errors that test-takers make while taking the GMAT.<\/p>\n

Error #1: Combining statements when unnecessary<\/h4>\n

This is done when a test-taker looks at both statements and says \u201cYes, if I have both pieces of information, then I can figure out the answer, so together the statements are sufficient.\u201d\u00a0 However, you must remember that you\u2019re also asked if either statement ALONE is enough to answer the question.\u00a0 Understanding the differences among all five answer choices in itself can be a boost to your quantitative score.\u00a0 As you look at each individual statement, ask yourself, \u201cis this enough?\u201d\u00a0 Once you can definitively answer yes or no, you are then closer to an answer to the data sufficiency problem.<\/p>\n

Error #2: Over-calculating<\/h4>\n

Since you may not need to calculate an actual value for a data sufficiency question, you should avoid going into the calculation step unless absolutely necessary.\u00a0 For example, if dealing with a statement like:<\/p>\n

2x + 15 \u2013 7x + 32\u00a0= -1<\/p>\n

Instead of trying to plow through with the calculations as you might have to do in a problem-solving question<\/a>, recognize that you have one variable in this equation (x), and that this is solvable.\u00a0 So if this shows up in a data sufficiency question, the answer to the question \u201cis this enough?\u201d is yes, and again you are closer to solving your data sufficiency question.<\/p>\n

Though data sufficiency questions look very abstract, there\u2019s a hidden beauty involved in solving them.\u00a0 Practice these while taking on the mindset of \u201cis this enough?\u201d to maximize your time management <\/a>ability for the GMAT.<\/p>\n

Practice GMAT data sufficiency, and other question types, with a free GMAT practice test<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The post The Two Most Common Errors in GMAT Data Sufficiency<\/a> appeared first on Kaplan GMAT Blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

GMAT data sufficiency questions test your ability to analyze a quantitative problem and recognize which information is necessary to figure out the solution.\u00a0 What a data sufficiency question does NOT…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":120,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"1","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,558,243,940],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26916","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-gmat","category-kaplan-blog","category-blog","category-gmat-prep-gmat","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26916","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/120"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26916"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26916\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26916"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26916"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26916"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}