13 PEA 306 Data Interpretation

Data Interpretation
Data Interpretation is one of the easy sections of one day competitive Examinations. It is an extension
of Mathematical skill and accuracy. Data interpretation is nothing but drawing conclusions and
inferences from a comprehensive data presented numerically in tabular form by means of an
illustration, viz. Graphs, Pie Chart etc. Thus the act of organizing and interpreting data to get
meaningful information is Data Interpretation.
SOME USEFUL TIPS :

1 . Data Interpretation questions are based on information given in tables and graphs. These
questions test your ability to interpret the information presented and to select the appropriate data for
answering a question.
2 . Get a general picture of the information before reading the question. Read the given titles carefully
and try to understand its nature.
3 . Avoid lengthy calculations generally, data interpretation questions do not require to do extensive
calculations and computations. Most questions simply require reading the data correctly and carefully
and putting them to use directly with common sense.
4 . Breakdown lengthy questions into smaller parts and eliminate impossible choices.
5 . Use only the information given and your knowledge of everyday facts, such as
the number of hours in a day, to answer the questions based on tables and graphs.
6 . Answer the questions asked and not what you think the questions should be.
7 . Be careful while dealing with units.
8 . To make reading easier and to avoid errors observe graphs keeping them
straight.
9 . Be prepared to apply basic mathematical rules, principles and formulae. 10.
Since one of the major benefits of graphs and tables is that they present data in a
form that enables you to readily make comparisons, use this visual attribute of
graphs and tables to help you answer the questions. Where possible, use your eyes
instead of your computational skills.
TABLES
• Tables are often used in reports, magazines and newspaper to present a set
of numerical facts. They enable the reader to make comparisons and to draw
quick conclusions. It is one of the easiest and most accurate ways of presenting
data. They require much closer reading than graphs of charts and hence are
difficult and time consuming to interpret. One of the main purposes of tables is
to make complicated information easier to understand. The advantage of
presenting data in a table is that one can see the information at a glance. While
answering questions based on tables, carefully read the table title and the
column headings. The title of the table gives you a general idea of the type and
often the purpose of the information presented. The column headings tell you
the specific kind of information given in that column. Both the table title and the
column headings are usually very straight forward.
GRAPHS
There may be four types of graphs:
1) Circle Graphs: Circle graphs are used to show how various sectors are in the whole.
Circle graphs are sometimes called Pie Charts. Circle graphs usually give the percent that
each sector receives In such representation the total quantity in question is distributed over a
total angle of 360°. While using circle graphs to find ratios of various sectors, don't find the
amounts each sector received and then the ratio of the amounts. Find the ratio of the
percentages, which is much quicker.
2)Line Graphs: Line graphs are used to show how a quantity changes continuously. If the
line goes up, the quantity is increasing; if the line goes down, the quantity is decreasing; if the
line is horizontal, the quantity is not changing.
3) Bar Graphs: Given quantities can be compared by the height or length of a bar graph. A
bar graph can have either vertical or horizontal bars. You can compare different quantities or
the same quantity at different times. In bar graph the data is discrete. Presentation of data in
this form makes evaluation of parameters comparatively very easy.
4) Cumulative Graphs : You can compare several categories by a graph of the
cumulative type. These are usually bar or line graphs where the height of the bar
or line is divided up proportionally among different quantities.
CONCEPT TO REVISE:
Average = Sum of observations/Total number of observations
Percentage Increase = (Increase/Original Value)*100
Percentage Decrease = (Decrease/Original Value)*100
where, Original Value is the value to which increase and decrease has been done
or the old value
Example 1: The table below reports annual statistics related to
rice production in selected states of India for a particular year:
Which two states account for the highest productivity of rice (tons produced per
hectare of rice cultivation)?
(1)Haryana and Punjab
(2)Punjab and Andhra Pradesh
(3)Andhra Pradesh and Haryana
(4)Uttar Pradesh and Haryana
How many states have a per capita production of rice (defined as total
rice production divided by its population) greater than Gujarat?
(1)3
(2)4
(3)5
(4)6
An intensive rice producing state is defined as one whose annual rice production
per million of population is at least 400,000 tons. How many states are intensive
rice producing states?(approx)
(1)5
(2)6
(3)7
(4)8
Study the following table and answer the questions given below it.
Production of sugar by six major production units of India in Million Tonnes
In which month the unit B has a contribution of approximately 15% in the total
sugar production?
a) August
b) June
c) July
d) April
Ans: c)
Which of the following units shows continuous increase in production of sugar

over months?
a)A
b)B
c)C
d)D
Ans: a
In the case of Unit E, in which of the following pairs of months the production of sugar was equal?
a) April & June
b) June & July
c) July & August
d) April & May
Ans:d)
In the month of June, how many units have a share of more than 25% of the total production of
sugar?
a)one
b)Three
c)Two
d)Four
Ans: a
What was approximate percentage decrease in sugar production of unit B in
June as compared to April?
a)8 %
b)10%
c)15%
d)18%
Ans:b)
The table below gives the production capacity (in thousands units) and the percent
utilisation in respect of three products (A,B and C) over five years for an
organisation. Study the table carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Approximately, what was the overall utilization for all products taken together for
the year 1993?
a)50%
b)55%
c)60%
d)65%
What is the approximate overall growth rate in respect of total capacity for the
period shown?
a)5 %
b)10%
c)15%
d)20%
In which of the following years was the production of product A the maximum for
all period shown?
a)1993
b)1997
c)1996
d)1994
What is the average production of product B over the period shown?

a)21,600
b)24,200
c)34,600
d)28,800
In which of the following years was the production of product C the minimum for the
period shown?
a)1997
b)1994
c)1993
d)1996
PIE CHART (CIRCULAR
GRAPH)
The pie-chart drawn below shows the spending of a country on various sports
during a particular year. Study the pie-chart carefully and answer the
questions given below it.
PERCENT OF MONEY SPENT ON VARIOUS SPORTS FOR ONE YEAR
If the total amount spent on sports during the year was Rs. 15000000, the amount spent on cricket and hockey together was
a)Rs. 2500000
b)Rs. 3750000
c)Rs. 5000000
d)Rs. 6000000
Out of the following, the country spent the same amount on

a)Hockey and Tennis
b)Golf and foot ball
c)Cricket and Foot ball
d)Football and Hockey
Pie-chart shows that the most popular game of the country is (on the basis of money spent)
a)Cricket
b)Foot ball
c)Basket ball
d)Hockey
The ratio of the total amount spent on football to that spent on hockey is
a) 1: 15
b) 1: 1
c)15:1
d)3: 20
Ans: b)
If the total amount spent on sports during the year was Rs. 12000000, how much was
spent on basket ball?
a)Rs. 950000
b)Rs. 1000000
c)Rs. 1200000
d)Rs. 1500000
Ans: d)
The pie chart given below shows the expenditure incurred in bringing out a
book, by a publisher.
What is the central angle showing the cost of paper?
a)16°
b)32 °
c)28.8 °
d)57.6°
Ans: d)
If the cost of printing is Rs. 23400, the royalty is:

a)Rs. 6500
b)Rs. 2340
c)Rs. 4680
d)Rs. 7840
Ans: a)
If miscellaneous expenditures amount to Rs. 18000, the expenditure on canvassing will
be:
a)Rs. 8000
b)Rs. 14400
c)Rs. 46800
d)Rs. 40500
Ans: d)
Royalty on the book is less than canvassing expenditure by:

a)8 %
b)80%
c)44 (4/9)%
d)None
Ans: c)
BAR GRAPH
Study the following graph and answer the questions given below it.
PRODUCTIONS OVER MONTHS
Which of the following months shows maximum increase in the production over its
immediately preceding month?
(a)March
(b)April
(c)May
(d)June
By how much is the average production of the last five months more than the average
production of the first three months?
(a)740
(b)700
(c)720
(d)640
Which month exactly shows the same increase in production over its immediately
preceding month as the month of march shows over that of February?
(a)February
(b)April
(c)May
(d)None of these
Approximately by what percentage did the total production in the two consecutive
months of July and August increase over the total production in the first two
consecutive months of January and February?
(a)95
(b)75
(c)65
(d)55
How many months have more than the average production for the 8 months period?
a)5
b)2
c)3
d)4
LINE GRAPH
Study the following graph carefully and answer the questions given below:
Production of three types of vehicles by a company over the years (in thousand)
What was the percentage increase in the production of C type vehicles from 1985 to1986?
a)10
b)5
c)20
d)None of these
Ans: d)
The number of A type vehicles produced in 1986 was what percent of the number of C
type vehicles produced in 1988?
a)33 1/3
b)66 2/3
c)50
d)15
Ans: c)
In how many years was the production of A type vehicles less than its average
production over the given years?
a)2
b)4
c)3
d)1
Ans: b)
What was average number of B type vehicles produced by the company over the year
s?
a)20,000
b)25,000
c)15,000
d)30,000
Ans: a)
Study the following graph carefully and answer the questions given below it.
Income and Expenditure of a Company over the years (Rs. in crore)
In which of the following years was the difference between the income and the
expenditure the maximum?
a) 1988
b) 1991
c) 1986
d) 1987
Ans: b)
27. The income in 1987 was equal to the expenditure in which of the following years?
a) 1985 only
b) 1990 only
c) 1985, 1989 and 1991
d) 1988 and 1989
Ans: c)
What was the approximate percentage drop in expenditure from 1988 to 1989?
a)35
b)25
c)75
d)40
Ans: b)
What was the percentage increase in income from 1987 to 1988?
a)175
b)75
c)60
d)125
Ans: b)
In how many of the given years was the expenditure more than the income?
a)1
b)3
c)4
d)2
e)Ans: d)
Study the following pie-chart and the table and answer the questions based on them.
If the population of village R in 1997 is 32000, then what will be the population of village
Y below poverty line in that year?
a)14100
b)15600
c)16500
d)17000
Ans: B
The ratio of population of village T below poverty line to that of village Z below poverty
line in 1997 is:
a)11 : 23
b)13 : 11
c)23 : 11
d)11 : 13
Ans: C
Find the population of village S if the population of village X below poverty line in 1997
is 12160.
a)18500
b)20500
c)22000
d)26000
Ans: C
If in 1998, the population of villages Y and V increase by 10% each and the percentage
of population below poverty line remains unchanged for all the villages, then find the
population of village V below poverty line in 1998, given that the population of village Y
in 1997 was 30000.
a)11250
b)12760
c)13140
d)13780
Ans: B

13 PEA 306 Data Interpretation

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Data Interpretation

SOME USEFUL TIPS :

Percentage Increase = (Increase/Original Value)*100

Percentage Decrease = (Decrease/Original Value)*100

Which of the following units shows continuous increase in production of sugar

What is the average production of product B over the period shown?

Out of the following, the country spent the same amount on

If the cost of printing is Rs. 23400, the royalty is:

Royalty on the book is less than canvassing expenditure by:

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