Last visit was: 18 Nov 2025, 19:52 It is currently 18 Nov 2025, 19:52
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
555-605 Level|   Graphs|            
User avatar
parkhydel
Joined: 03 Jun 2019
Last visit: 27 Mar 2025
Posts: 273
Own Kudos:
20,386
 [30]
Given Kudos: 60
Posts: 273
Kudos: 20,386
 [30]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
29
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Most Helpful Reply
User avatar
Sajjad1994
User avatar
GRE Forum Moderator
Joined: 02 Nov 2016
Last visit: 18 Nov 2025
Posts: 17,289
Own Kudos:
49,292
 [1]
Given Kudos: 6,179
GPA: 3.62
Products:
Posts: 17,289
Kudos: 49,292
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
General Discussion
User avatar
Apt0810
Joined: 15 Jul 2018
Last visit: 24 Oct 2020
Posts: 327
Own Kudos:
622
 [1]
Given Kudos: 94
Posts: 327
Kudos: 622
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
phuongdungnguyen
Joined: 05 Jan 2024
Last visit: 16 Dec 2024
Posts: 3
Given Kudos: 3
Posts: 3
Kudos: 0
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Sajjad1994
Official Explanation

RO1

Because there are eleven employees represented by the graph, each with a job satisfaction rating, the median job satisfaction rating will be the sixth value when listed from least to greatest. Thus, the employee with the median rating is represented by the dot at a job satisfaction rating of 55. The salary associated with this dot is 42% of the median salary, indicating that the employee’s salary is less than the median.

The correct answer is less than.

RO2

Because the graph gives salary as a percent of the median salary, 100% is the median. There is only one dot at the 100% salary level, and that dot is associated with a job satisfaction rating of 60. As explained in the analysis of RO1, the median job satisfaction rating is 55. Thus, the employee with the median salary has a job satisfaction rating greater than the median (60 > 55).

The correct answer is greater than.

Hi could you help me explain a bit more for the first question please.

As you said “each employee has a job satisfaction rating, the median job satisfaction rating will be the sixth value when listed from least to greatest”
But when I look at the graph there are some employees have the same job satisfaction.
So I got the list: 30,40,45,50,55,60,75,80,85.
Hence I can not understand why the median is 55. Moreover, the gaps between some digits are different, so how can I determine the median? I mean if I have a list: 30 40 50 60 70 I know that the median is 50. But I’m not sure for this situation.

Posted from my mobile device
User avatar
chetan2u
User avatar
GMAT Expert
Joined: 02 Aug 2009
Last visit: 15 Nov 2025
Posts: 11,238
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 335
Status:Math and DI Expert
Location: India
Concentration: Human Resources, General Management
GMAT Focus 1: 735 Q90 V89 DI81
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT Focus 1: 735 Q90 V89 DI81
Posts: 11,238
Kudos: 43,696
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
phuongdungnguyen
Sajjad1994
Official Explanation

RO1

Because there are eleven employees represented by the graph, each with a job satisfaction rating, the median job satisfaction rating will be the sixth value when listed from least to greatest. Thus, the employee with the median rating is represented by the dot at a job satisfaction rating of 55. The salary associated with this dot is 42% of the median salary, indicating that the employee’s salary is less than the median.

The correct answer is less than.

RO2

Because the graph gives salary as a percent of the median salary, 100% is the median. There is only one dot at the 100% salary level, and that dot is associated with a job satisfaction rating of 60. As explained in the analysis of RO1, the median job satisfaction rating is 55. Thus, the employee with the median salary has a job satisfaction rating greater than the median (60 > 55).

The correct answer is greater than.

Hi could you help me explain a bit more for the first question please.

As you said “each employee has a job satisfaction rating, the median job satisfaction rating will be the sixth value when listed from least to greatest”
But when I look at the graph there are some employees have the same job satisfaction.
So I got the list: 30,40,45,50,55,60,75,80,85.
Hence I can not understand why the median is 55. Moreover, the gaps between some digits are different, so how can I determine the median? I mean if I have a list: 30 40 50 60 70 I know that the median is 50. But I’m not sure for this situation.

Posted from my mobile device

Hi,

Whatever be the readings, they have to be put in increasing order. If some are repeated, those have to be written that many times.
So here, there are 11 readings, and the median(Center value) will be the 6th value, as there will be 5 readings on either side.

Secondly, median does not depend on how the values are spread. It is just the middle value.
1,2,90,90,91 or 70,80,90,100,110 will have median as 90.
User avatar
phuongdungnguyen
Joined: 05 Jan 2024
Last visit: 16 Dec 2024
Posts: 3
Given Kudos: 3
Posts: 3
Kudos: 0
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
chetan2u
phuongdungnguyen
Sajjad1994
Official Explanation

RO1

Because there are eleven employees represented by the graph, each with a job satisfaction rating, the median job satisfaction rating will be the sixth value when listed from least to greatest. Thus, the employee with the median rating is represented by the dot at a job satisfaction rating of 55. The salary associated with this dot is 42% of the median salary, indicating that the employee’s salary is less than the median.

The correct answer is less than.

RO2

Because the graph gives salary as a percent of the median salary, 100% is the median. There is only one dot at the 100% salary level, and that dot is associated with a job satisfaction rating of 60. As explained in the analysis of RO1, the median job satisfaction rating is 55. Thus, the employee with the median salary has a job satisfaction rating greater than the median (60 > 55).

The correct answer is greater than.

Hi could you help me explain a bit more for the first question please.

As you said “each employee has a job satisfaction rating, the median job satisfaction rating will be the sixth value when listed from least to greatest”
But when I look at the graph there are some employees have the same job satisfaction.
So I got the list: 30,40,45,50,55,60,75,80,85.
Hence I can not understand why the median is 55. Moreover, the gaps between some digits are different, so how can I determine the median? I mean if I have a list: 30 40 50 60 70 I know that the median is 50. But I’m not sure for this situation.

Posted from my mobile device

Hi,

Whatever be the readings, they have to be put in increasing order. If some are repeated, those have to be written that many times.
So here, there are 11 readings, and the median(Center value) will be the 6th value, as there will be 5 readings on either side.

Secondly, median does not depend on how the values are spread. It is just the middle value.
1,2,90,90,91 or 70,80,90,100,110 will have median as 90.
I understood. Thank you so much for your explanation
User avatar
cocowip
Joined: 31 May 2024
Last visit: 07 Jun 2024
Posts: 1
Posts: 1
Kudos: 0
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Sajjad1994
Official Explanation

RO1

Because there are eleven employees represented by the graph, each with a job satisfaction rating, the median job satisfaction rating will be the sixth value when listed from least to greatest. Thus, the employee with the median rating is represented by the dot at a job satisfaction rating of 55. The salary associated with this dot is 42% of the median salary, indicating that the employee’s salary is less than the median.

The correct answer is less than.

RO2

Because the graph gives salary as a percent of the median salary, 100% is the median. There is only one dot at the 100% salary level, and that dot is associated with a job satisfaction rating of 60. As explained in the analysis of RO1, the median job satisfaction rating is 55. Thus, the employee with the median salary has a job satisfaction rating greater than the median (60 > 55).

The correct answer is greater than.
­
Could you please explain this "Because the graph gives salary as a percent of the median salary, 100% is the median", or should I write it down all the number of percent of the median salary to see if it is 100%? 
User avatar
chetan2u
User avatar
GMAT Expert
Joined: 02 Aug 2009
Last visit: 15 Nov 2025
Posts: 11,238
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 335
Status:Math and DI Expert
Location: India
Concentration: Human Resources, General Management
GMAT Focus 1: 735 Q90 V89 DI81
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT Focus 1: 735 Q90 V89 DI81
Posts: 11,238
Kudos: 43,696
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
cocowip

Sajjad1994
Official Explanation

RO1

Because there are eleven employees represented by the graph, each with a job satisfaction rating, the median job satisfaction rating will be the sixth value when listed from least to greatest. Thus, the employee with the median rating is represented by the dot at a job satisfaction rating of 55. The salary associated with this dot is 42% of the median salary, indicating that the employee’s salary is less than the median.

The correct answer is less than.

RO2

Because the graph gives salary as a percent of the median salary, 100% is the median. There is only one dot at the 100% salary level, and that dot is associated with a job satisfaction rating of 60. As explained in the analysis of RO1, the median job satisfaction rating is 55. Thus, the employee with the median salary has a job satisfaction rating greater than the median (60 > 55).

The correct answer is greater than.
­
Could you please explain this "Because the graph gives salary as a percent of the median salary, 100% is the median", or should I write it down all the number of percent of the median salary to see if it is 100%? 
­Median salary will be the one that is ahown on 100% line.
Other way to look is that the 11 salaries are given as point, so the centermost point that is 6th from either side is the median, and you would see that this turns out, logically too, be the 100% of median salary itself.
User avatar
sayan640
Joined: 29 Oct 2015
Last visit: 10 Nov 2025
Posts: 1,180
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 783
GMAT 1: 570 Q42 V28
Products:
GMAT 1: 570 Q42 V28
Posts: 1,180
Kudos: 813
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
chetan2u GMATinsight , whhy did you say the median salary is 100% ? Did you arrange them in order ? Can you kindly specify if you applied any other logic ?
like..45% , 60% , 70% , 80% , 90% , 100% ( 6th value in order and hence median ) ..
chetan2u

cocowip

Sajjad1994
Official Explanation

RO1

Because there are eleven employees represented by the graph, each with a job satisfaction rating, the median job satisfaction rating will be the sixth value when listed from least to greatest. Thus, the employee with the median rating is represented by the dot at a job satisfaction rating of 55. The salary associated with this dot is 42% of the median salary, indicating that the employee’s salary is less than the median.

The correct answer is less than.

RO2

Because the graph gives salary as a percent of the median salary, 100% is the median. There is only one dot at the 100% salary level, and that dot is associated with a job satisfaction rating of 60. As explained in the analysis of RO1, the median job satisfaction rating is 55. Thus, the employee with the median salary has a job satisfaction rating greater than the median (60 > 55).

The correct answer is greater than.
­
Could you please explain this "Because the graph gives salary as a percent of the median salary, 100% is the median", or should I write it down all the number of percent of the median salary to see if it is 100%? 
­Median salary will be the one that is ahown on 100% line.
Other way to look is that the 11 salaries are given as point, so the centermost point that is 6th from either side is the median, and you would see that this turns out, logically too, be the 100% of median salary itself.
­
User avatar
chetan2u
User avatar
GMAT Expert
Joined: 02 Aug 2009
Last visit: 15 Nov 2025
Posts: 11,238
Own Kudos:
43,696
 [1]
Given Kudos: 335
Status:Math and DI Expert
Location: India
Concentration: Human Resources, General Management
GMAT Focus 1: 735 Q90 V89 DI81
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT Focus 1: 735 Q90 V89 DI81
Posts: 11,238
Kudos: 43,696
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
sayan640
chetan2u GMATinsight , whhy did you say the median salary is 100% ? Did you arrange them in order ? Can you kindly specify if you applied any other logic ?
like..45% , 60% , 70% , 80% , 90% , 100% ( 6th value in order and hence median ) ..
chetan2u

cocowip
Could you please explain this "Because the graph gives salary as a percent of the median salary, 100% is the median", or should I write it down all the number of percent of the median salary to see if it is 100%? 
­Median salary will be the one that is ahown on 100% line.
Other way to look is that the 11 salaries are given as point, so the centermost point that is 6th from either side is the median, and you would see that this turns out, logically too, be the 100% of median salary itself.
­
­If X is 100% of median salary => X = 100% of median salary = median salary as 100% of anything is equal to that thing. 
100% of 20 is 20, 100% of 100 is 100, 100% of 1,000,000 is 1,000,000, 100% of median salary is median salary and so on.­
User avatar
sayan640
Joined: 29 Oct 2015
Last visit: 10 Nov 2025
Posts: 1,180
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 783
GMAT 1: 570 Q42 V28
Products:
GMAT 1: 570 Q42 V28
Posts: 1,180
Kudos: 813
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Lol...That is so simple...Thank you..
chetan2u
chetan2u GMATinsight , whhy did you say the median salary is 100% ? Did you arrange them in order ? Can you kindly specify if you applied any other logic ?
like..45% , 60% , 70% , 80% , 90% , 100% ( 6th value in order and hence median ) ..
chetan2u

cocowip
Could you please explain this "Because the graph gives salary as a percent of the median salary, 100% is the median", or should I write it down all the number of percent of the median salary to see if it is 100%? 
­Median salary will be the one that is ahown on 100% line.
Other way to look is that the 11 salaries are given as point, so the centermost point that is 6th from either side is the median, and you would see that this turns out, logically too, be the 100% of median salary itself.
­
­If X is 100% of median salary => X = 100% of median salary = median salary as 100% of anything is equal to that thing. 
100% of 20 is 20, 100% of 100 is 100, 100% of 1,000,000 is 1,000,000, 100% of median salary is median salary and so on.­[/quote]

Posted from my mobile device
User avatar
SwethaReddyL
Joined: 28 Nov 2023
Last visit: 18 Nov 2025
Posts: 60
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 264
Location: India
Posts: 60
Kudos: 10
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
I'm sorry, still couldn't understand this - could you please brief it... i thought, since the percentage value is upto 180%, the median will be 90%...? I understand that median is centeral tendency of the elements, but couldn't understand how it is 100 here chetan2u
chetan2u
sayan640
chetan2u GMATinsight , whhy did you say the median salary is 100% ? Did you arrange them in order ? Can you kindly specify if you applied any other logic ?
like..45% , 60% , 70% , 80% , 90% , 100% ( 6th value in order and hence median ) ..

­
­If X is 100% of median salary => X = 100% of median salary = median salary as 100% of anything is equal to that thing.
100% of 20 is 20, 100% of 100 is 100, 100% of 1,000,000 is 1,000,000, 100% of median salary is median salary and so on.­
User avatar
WhitEngagePrep
Joined: 12 Nov 2024
Last visit: 08 Oct 2025
Posts: 59
Own Kudos:
48
 [1]
Given Kudos: 19
Location: United States
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 59
Kudos: 48
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
SwethaReddyL
I'm sorry, still couldn't understand this - could you please brief it... i thought, since the percentage value is upto 180%, the median will be 90%...? I understand that median is centeral tendency of the elements, but couldn't understand how it is 100 here
Good that you're pushing on this a bit more, because I often see that one of the biggest struggles with graphs is finding the median on them!

So the median of a set of numbers isn't the point halfway between the highest and lowest (or even halfway between the highest and lowest possible), it is the middle number when the values are placed in order (or the average of the middle two if there are an even number of terms).

For example, in the new set of numbers 1, 3, 3, 7, 10, the median is NOT going to be halfway between 1 and 10. The median will be the middle of this set, or 3.
If the set was instead 1, 3, 3, 6, 7, 10, then the median will be the average of the middle two numbers (3 and 6) - so the median is (3+6)/2 = 4.5.

Now back to this question! While it is true that the percentage values on the y-axis go from 0 to 180, the median doesn't care about that any more than it cares about the value of the highest or lowest dots. It only cares about what happens if you list out the values of the dots in order from smallest to largest and then find the middle one. So you could simply list out the estimated values for each metric in order from highest to lowest.

For job satisfaction rating, the values increase from left to right, so start with the left-most and move right: 30, 40, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 75, 80, 85, 85 (the median = the middle = the dot at 55)

For salary as % of median, the values increase from bottom to top, so start with the lowest dot and move up: 41%, 59%, 70%, 78%, 93%, 100%, 110%, 120%, 135%, 142%, 160% (the median = the middle = the dot at 100%).

But because you know that there are 11 employees, you don't actually have to list out everyone. You know that the median of the 11 people will be the 6th term from the highest or the lowest end (because there will be 5 terms on either side of it... 5+1+5 = 11. So instead of listing, you can just count to the 6th dot from left-to-right or from bottom-to-top depending on which metric you're finding the median for!

Hope this helps!
:)
Whit
User avatar
SwethaReddyL
Joined: 28 Nov 2023
Last visit: 18 Nov 2025
Posts: 60
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 264
Location: India
Posts: 60
Kudos: 10
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hi WhitEngagePrep - Thank you so much for this, I am perfectly clear now. Have an amazing day:heart

Best Regards,
Swetha
WhitEngagePrep
SwethaReddyL
I'm sorry, still couldn't understand this - could you please brief it... i thought, since the percentage value is upto 180%, the median will be 90%...? I understand that median is centeral tendency of the elements, but couldn't understand how it is 100 here
Good that you're pushing on this a bit more, because I often see that one of the biggest struggles with graphs is finding the median on them!

So the median of a set of numbers isn't the point halfway between the highest and lowest (or even halfway between the highest and lowest possible), it is the middle number when the values are placed in order (or the average of the middle two if there are an even number of terms).

For example, in the new set of numbers 1, 3, 3, 7, 10, the median is NOT going to be halfway between 1 and 10. The median will be the middle of this set, or 3.
If the set was instead 1, 3, 3, 6, 7, 10, then the median will be the average of the middle two numbers (3 and 6) - so the median is (3+6)/2 = 4.5.

Now back to this question! While it is true that the percentage values on the y-axis go from 0 to 180, the median doesn't care about that any more than it cares about the value of the highest or lowest dots. It only cares about what happens if you list out the values of the dots in order from smallest to largest and then find the middle one. So you could simply list out the estimated values for each metric in order from highest to lowest.

For job satisfaction rating, the values increase from left to right, so start with the left-most and move right: 30, 40, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 75, 80, 85, 85 (the median = the middle = the dot at 55)

For salary as % of median, the values increase from bottom to top, so start with the lowest dot and move up: 41%, 59%, 70%, 78%, 93%, 100%, 110%, 120%, 135%, 142%, 160% (the median = the middle = the dot at 100%).

But because you know that there are 11 employees, you don't actually have to list out everyone. You know that the median of the 11 people will be the 6th term from the highest or the lowest end (because there will be 5 terms on either side of it... 5+1+5 = 11. So instead of listing, you can just count to the 6th dot from left-to-right or from bottom-to-top depending on which metric you're finding the median for!

Hope this helps!
:)
Whit
User avatar
Sakshi2013
Joined: 18 Sep 2022
Last visit: 18 Nov 2025
Posts: 13
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 180
Posts: 13
Kudos: 34
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
I got this correct; however, it took me close to 5 mins because initially, while attempting, I found myself confused between the two axes, going back and forth. My approach was correct, but the timing is putting me off. What is the best way to approach such problems quickly?
Moderators:
Math Expert
105355 posts
496 posts