Data Interpretation (DI) is one of the most important and scoring sections in MBA entrance exams like CAT, XAT, MAT as well as government exams like SSC, Banking, and RRB.
It tests your ability to read, understand, and analyze data presented in the form of tables, charts, and graphs to arrive at logical conclusions.
In this article, we bring you Top 10 Data Interpretation Questions with Answers to help you prepare effectively for both MBA and government exams.
1. Table Chart Question
Table: The table below shows the profit (in ₹ crores) of 5 companies over 4 years.
| Year | A | B | C | D | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 50 | 60 | 40 | 80 | 70 |
| 2021 | 55 | 65 | 45 | 85 | 75 |
| 2022 | 60 | 68 | 50 | 90 | 78 |
| 2023 | 70 | 72 | 55 | 95 | 80 |
Q1: What is the total profit of Company D from 2020 to 2023?
Answer: 80 + 85 + 90 + 95 = ₹350 crores
2. Pie Chart Question
Pie Chart: A school has 1000 students. The percentage distribution across streams is:
-
Science: 40%
-
Commerce: 35%
-
Arts: 25%
Q2: How many students are in the Arts stream?
Answer: 25% of 1000 = 250 students
3. Bar Graph Question
Bar Graph: Sales (in ₹ lakhs) of a company over 5 years:
| Year | Sales |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 40 |
| 2020 | 50 |
| 2021 | 60 |
| 2022 | 55 |
| 2023 | 70 |
Q3: What is the increase in sales from 2021 to 2023?
Answer: 70 – 60 = ₹10 lakhs
4. Line Graph Question
Line Graph: Number of mobiles sold over 6 months:
Jan: 80, Feb: 100, Mar: 120, Apr: 110, May: 90, Jun: 130
Q4: Which month recorded the lowest sales?
Answer: January (80 mobiles)
5. Mixed Graph Question
Data: Number of boys and girls in a college (Year 2022):
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Boys: 720
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Girls: 480
Q5: What is the ratio of boys to girls?
Answer: 720 : 480 = 3 : 2
6. Cumulative Data Question
Data: A shopkeeper sold 150, 180, 200, and 170 units of a product in four consecutive weeks.
Q6: What is the average weekly sale?
Answer: (150 + 180 + 200 + 170) / 4 = 175 units
7. Percentage Change Question
Data: Production of a factory in 2022 = 5000 units, in 2023 = 6000 units.
Q7: What is the percentage increase in production?
Answer: ((6000 – 5000) / 5000) × 100 = 20%
8. Ratio & Proportion DI Question
Data: Revenue from two products in a year: Product X = ₹3,00,000; Product Y = ₹2,00,000.
Q8: What is the revenue ratio of Product X to Product Y?
Answer: 3,00,000 : 2,00,000 = 3 : 2
9. Pie Chart Percentage Question
Data: In a company, employees are divided into departments: HR = 20%, Sales = 50%, IT = 30%. Total employees = 600.
Q9: How many employees are in the Sales department?
Answer: 50% of 600 = 300 employees
10. Comparative Data Question
Data: Two stores sold the following number of items in a week:
Store A: 250, Store B: 300
Q10: How many more items did Store B sell than Store A?
Answer: 300 – 250 = 50 items
Conclusion
Practicing a variety of Data Interpretation questions not only boosts your calculation speed but also enhances your analytical thinking.
For MBA exams like CAT or government exams like SSC & Banking, make sure you focus on different DI types — tables, pie charts, bar graphs, line graphs, and mixed data.
You can attempt free DI Mock Tests on eliveclass.com to strengthen your preparation.
