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Quantitative Aptitude practice

Data Interpretation Questions with Answers

Data interpretation means reading tables, bar graphs, line graphs and pie charts, then answering questions with percentages, ratios, averages and differences. Data interpretation questions appear in SSC CGL and CHSL Tier-1 and RRB NTPC, and form a full set in bank prelims and mains. The maths is simple, but the reading is slow and careful. Tip: read the title, units and the exact question before you touch a calculator, and round only at the last step.

Formulas you need

  • Percentage = (Part ÷ Whole) × 100
  • Percentage change = (New − Old) ÷ Old × 100
  • Pie chart: Value = (Slice % ÷ 100) × Total
  • Pie chart: Angle of a sector = (Value ÷ Total) × 360°
  • Average = Total of values ÷ Number of values
  • Ratio of A to B = A ÷ B, written in lowest terms
  • Percentage points difference = Percentage₁ − Percentage₂ (not a percentage change)
  • Overall percentage = (Sum of parts ÷ Sum of wholes) × 100, not the average of percentages

Worked examples

Q1. A shop's monthly sales (in ₹ thousand) are: January 40, February 50, March 45, April 60. What is the percentage change in sales from February to March?

  1. Change = 45 − 50 = −5 (a fall)
  2. Percentage change = 5 ÷ 50 × 100 = 10%

Answer: 10% decrease

Q2. A company spends ₹6,00,000 in a year. The pie chart shows the split: Salaries 35%, Rent 15%, Raw material 30%, Marketing 12%, Other 8%. How much more is spent on raw material than on marketing?

  1. Check the chart: 35 + 15 + 30 + 12 + 8 = 100%
  2. Difference in share = 30% − 12% = 18%
  3. Amount = 18% of 6,00,000 = ₹1,08,000

Answer: ₹1,08,000

Q3. Three schools sent students to a test. School A: 400 appeared, 75% passed. School B: 500 appeared, 60% passed. School C: 600 appeared, 55% passed. What is the overall pass percentage?

  1. Passed in A = 75% of 400 = 300
  2. Passed in B = 60% of 500 = 300
  3. Passed in C = 55% of 600 = 330
  4. Total passed = 930; total appeared = 1,500
  5. Overall pass % = 930 ÷ 1,500 × 100 = 62%

Answer: 62%

Shortcuts that save time

  • Never average the percentages when the bases differ. Convert each percentage to a count first, as in the school example. Taking a plain average gives 63.33% here and costs you the mark.
  • Estimate before calculating. If an option set has values far apart, rough rounding to the nearest ten finds the answer and saves a minute for harder sets.
  • Check units and the word 'more than' versus 'what percent more than'. Re-reading the last line of the question once is the cheapest way to avoid negative marking.

Where this appears

SSC CGL Tier-1Quantitative Aptitude section
SSC CHSL Tier-1Quantitative Aptitude section
SSC MTSNumerical and Mathematical Ability section
RRB NTPC CBT-1Mathematics section
Bank PO/Clerk Prelims and MainsData Analysis and Interpretation section

Data Interpretation

Practice Set
Attempted: 0Correct: 0Incorrect: 0
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The given table shows the revenue, cost and tax rate for a company for a period of 6 years. The revenue and cost are given in Rs. lakhs. Year Revenue Cost Tax rate 2015 62 30 15% 2016 75 35 10% 2017 84 38 15% 2018 86 40 20% 2019 90 45 25% 2020 95 50 25% Profit = Revenue – Cost Profit after tax for any year = Profit for that year – Tax for that year Tax for any year = Tax rate for that year × Profit for that year Find the total sum (in Rs. lakhs) of profit after tax for 2015 to 2020.

Quantitative Aptitude · stress-free practice · answers reveal instantly · difficulty adapts as you go

Data Interpretation questions with answers

10 sample questions from this topic with the correct option and the solution.

  1. Q1. The sales (in units) of a shop for 5 days are: Day1-20, Day2-30, Day3-25, Day4-35, Day5-40. Find the total sales for these 5 days.

    1. 150
    2. 140
    3. 155
    4. 160

    Answer: (A) 150

    Solution
    Total = 20+30+25+35+40 = 150 units.

  2. Q2. The below table shows the population of men and women (in ratio) for five cities. Study the below table carefully and answer the question that follows. City Population Men : Women Kanpur 4500 5:4 Bangalore 1547 4:3 Pune 1818 5:1 Mumbai 1547 3:4 Jabalpur 1089 4:5 What is the difference between the total number of men of Mumbai and Pune together and number of women in Jabalpur and Bangalore together?

    1. 572
    2. 760
    3. 910
    4. 747

    Answer: (C) 910

    Solution
    Men in Mumbai = $1547 \times \frac{3}{7} = 663$; men in Pune = $1818 \times \frac{5}{6} = 1515$. Total men = $663 + 1515 = 2178$.
    Women in Jabalpur = $1089 \times \frac{5}{9} = 605$; women in Bangalore = $1547 \times \frac{3}{7} = 663$. Total women = $605 + 663 = 1268$.
    Difference = $2178 - 1268 = 910$.
    Answer: C (910).

  3. Q3. Using the sales data: Day1-20, Day2-30, Day3-25, Day4-35, Day5-40, find the average daily sales.

    1. 25
    2. 30
    3. 33
    4. 35

    Answer: (B) 30

    Solution
    Total sales = 150. Average = 150/5 = 30 units.

  4. Q4. The pie-chart given below shows the monthly expenditures made by a family under different heads as percentages of the total monthly income of the family. If the total monthly income of the family is `70,000, then what is the amount that is left with the family after only the food and medical expenditures for the month are made?

    1. `43,500
    2. `43,600
    3. `43,400
    4. `43,700

    Answer: (C) `43,400

  5. Q5. In a pie chart, a sector representing 'Education' expense occupies 90° out of 360°. If the total budget is ₹4000, find the amount spent on Education.

    1. ₹900
    2. ₹1100
    3. ₹1000
    4. ₹1200

    Answer: (C) ₹1000

    Solution
    Fraction = 90/360. Amount = (90/360) × 4000 = ₹1000.

  6. Q6. Study the given table carefully and answer the question that follows. The below table shows the production of the number of bottles (1 L) of soft drinks of three companies during 2016-2020. Year A (in lakhs) B (in lakhs) C (in lakhs) 2016 38000 43000 52000 2017 42000 52000 58000 2018 53000 65000 63000 2019 30000 35000 32000 2020 20000 25000 28000 What was the percentage decrease in B's production in 2020 as compared to B's production in 2018 (approximate to two decimals)?

    1. 60%
    2. 75.50%
    3. 61.54%
    4. 85.56%

    Answer: (C) 61.54%

  7. Q7. The marks of 4 students in a test are: Ram-70, Shyam-80, Gita-60, Sita-90. Find the average marks.

    1. 70
    2. 77.5
    3. 80
    4. 75

    Answer: (D) 75

    Solution
    Total marks = 300. Average = 300/4 = 75.

  8. Q8. Using the data: Ram-70, Shyam-80, Gita-60, Sita-90, find the difference between the highest and lowest marks.

    1. 30
    2. 25
    3. 35
    4. 40

    Answer: (A) 30

    Solution
    Highest = 90 (Sita), Lowest = 60 (Gita). Difference = 90−60 = 30.

  9. Q9. The production (in tons) of a factory for 3 months is: Month1-100, Month2-150, Month3-200. Find the percentage increase in production from Month1 to Month3.

    1. 80%
    2. 100%
    3. 90%
    4. 110%

    Answer: (B) 100%

    Solution
    Increase = 200−100=100. Percentage increase = (100/100)×100 = 100%.

  10. Q10. In a pie chart, the 'Food' sector occupies 120° out of 360° of a family's monthly budget of ₹6000. Find the amount spent on Food.

    1. ₹1800
    2. ₹2200
    3. ₹2000
    4. ₹2400

    Answer: (C) ₹2000

    Solution
    Fraction = 120/360. Amount = (120/360) × 6000 = ₹2000.