How to prepare Data Interpretation for Prelims CSAT Paper2

             How to prepare Data Interpretation for Prelims CSAT Paper2

UPSC has changed the syllabus for prelims in 2011 and introduced a paper "Civil Services Aptitude Test" which includes: traditional aptitude, reasoning, comprehension, data interpretation, decision making and problem solving and so on.

The section data interpretation tests a candidate’s ability to extract information out of data. This may contain data represented in the form of tables, graphs, charts, etc.

Some tips for solving DI questions:

a) Get familiar with as many types of data interpretation question sets as possible. If you encounter a new type of data set for the first time in the exam, you will always be apprehensive whether it should be attempted or not although it might be very easy.
 
b) Read the data very carefully, as the smallest detail may change the meaning of the question completely.
 
c) Get into the habit of approximating calculations. Even if the question involves very large calculations, if the answer options are widely spaced, you can save a lot of time by finding an approximate answer.
 
d) Questions based on Visual observations don’t involve much calculation, so such questions should be the first to be attempted.
 
e) Proper attention should be given to the units used in the tables, and the units in which the answers (options) are provided. Being careful at the time of solving question can save a lot of time.

Illustrative examples

Directions for questions 1 and 2: The following graph gives the number of pairs of shoes sold in the eight months to ladies, gents and children in the year 2000 by Bhushan Stores. The pie-chart shows the distribution of formal, casual and sports shoes. Assume that the same pie chart distribution applies for each month.



Distribution of Different Categories of Shoes in the year 2000

1. In the month of May, average price of a pair of shoes was Rs.430. If the average price of ladies, gents and children’s shoes were in the ratio of 4 : 5 : 3, then what was the average price of a pair of ladies shoes?
A] Rs.100                     B]         Rs.400             C]         Rs.300 D]Rs.500

2. If the rupees sales were equal in April and May, then how much was the percentage increase in average price per shoe in May as compared to that in April?
A]        55%                 B]         50%                 C]         33 %                D]        66 %

Solutions:

1. [B] Let the average price of ladies’, gents’ and children’s shoes be 4x, 5x and 3x. Therefore,   or x = 100. Therefore, average price of a pair of ladies shoes = 4x = 400.

2. [B] Total number of shoes sold in April is 75 and that in May is 50. Therefore, average price in May must be 50% more so that the rupees sales become equal in April and May.

Practice Questions on Data Interpretation

Answer the questions on the data given-

Loan disbursed by five banks in Rs crore is given in the table below.



1. In which year was the distribution of loans of all banks put together least compared to the average disbursement of loans over the years?
(a) 2000
(b) 2001
(c) 2002
(d) 2004

2. What was the percentage increase of disbursement of loans of all banks together from 2002 to 2003?
(a) 110%  
(b) 14%
(c) 10%  
(d) 11%

3. In which year was the disbursement of loans of banks A and B exactly equal to the total disbursement of banks D and E?
(a) 2001  
(b) 2002
(c) 2004
(d) None of these

4. If the minimum target in the succeeding year was 120% of the total disbursement of loans, how many banks reached the target in 2001?      
(a) 1  
(b) 2
(c) 3
(d) 4

5. In which bank was the loan disbursement more than 25% of the disbursement of all the banks in 2004?
(a) A  
(b) B
(c) C
(d) D

DIRECTIONS for Questions 6 to 10: Answer the questions based on the following table, which gives data about certain milk producers in India:



6  What is the maximum production capacity (in ‘000 tonnes) of Nova for milk?
(1) 2.53   
(2) 2.85   
(3) 2.24   
(4) 2.07

7.  The highest price of milk per kg is for
(1) Mother Dairy
(2) Parag
(3) Nova
(4)  Insufficient data

8. What percent of the total market share (by Sales Value) is controlled by “Others”?
(1) 60%   
(2) 32%
(3) 67%
(4) Insufficient data.

9. What approximately is the total production capacity (in tonnes) for milk in India?
(1) 18, 100
(2) 20, 300
(3) 18,900
(4) Insufficient data.

10. Which company out of the four companies mentioned above has the maximum unutilised capacity (in ‘000 tonnes)?
(1) Nova
(2) Mother Dairy
(3) Amul
(4) Parag