GMAT · Quantitative — Data Sufficiency · Japan
Quantitative — Data Sufficiency for the GMAT Exam — Japanese candidates
12% of the GMAT test plan. Determining whether two statements, individually or combined, provide enough information to answer a question — without solving it. Calibrated for Japanese candidates.
Examiners do not award marks for content alone — they award them for the ability to demonstrate competency in the precise format the test demands. Quantitative — Data Sufficiency sits at roughly 12% of the Graduate Management Admission Test content distribution — Data Sufficiency (DS) is unique to the GMAT and the most conceptually different question type most test-takers encounter. The goal is NOT to find the answer — it is to determine if the answer CAN be found. Candidates who try to solve DS questions like PS questions waste time and make systematic errors. Pass rates for the GMAT are published annually by the awarding body and vary by cohort and locale. For Japanese candidates preparing for GMAT, the calibration of study to local context matters: TOEIC is the dominant English credential in Japan. JLPT is taken by both inbound foreign workers and Japanese students seeking Japanese-language certification.
Common failure modes
These are the patterns that cause most candidates to lose marks on this topic. Recognising them in advance is half the work.
- !Solving for a specific numerical value instead of testing whether a unique answer is possible
- !Forgetting that Statement 2 must be evaluated independently before testing both together
- !Assuming constraints from Statement 1 when evaluating Statement 2 in isolation
Study tips
- 1Memorize the five DS answer choices and their logic (A, B, C, D, E) before test day — eliminate systematically.
- 2For "is X > 5" type questions, find cases where X > 5 AND cases where X ≤ 5 to prove insufficiency.
- 3Never re-use Statement 1 when evaluating Statement 2 — treat them as completely separate universes.
- 4日本の受験者の方は、GMAT の各セクションにおいて時間配分の練習が最も重要です — 模擬試験を本番と同じ条件で繰り返してください。
Sample GMAT Quantitative — Data Sufficiency questions
These sample items mirror the format and difficulty of real GMAT questions. Practice with thousands more on the free Koydo question bank.
- 1
Is integer n divisible by 6? (1) n is divisible by 12. (2) n is divisible by 9.
- AStatement (1) alone is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficientCorrect
- BStatement (2) alone is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient
- CBoth statements together are sufficient, but neither alone is sufficient
- DEach statement alone is sufficient
Why this answer?
If n is divisible by 12, it is divisible by all factors of 12, including 6. So Statement 1 is sufficient. Statement 2 alone: n could be 9 (not divisible by 6) or 18 (divisible by 6) — insufficient. Answer: A.
Frequently asked questions
What are the five answer choices for every Data Sufficiency question?
What is the GMAT pass rate for Japanese candidates?
How long should Japanese candidates study Quantitative — Data Sufficiency for the GMAT?
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