Introduction
Data Sufficiency gives a question along with two (or three) statements. You don't solve for the final answer —
you determine whether the given statement(s) contain enough information to answer the question,
without actually calculating the value.
Standard Answer Choices
| Option | Meaning |
|---|
| A | Statement I alone is sufficient, but Statement II alone is not |
| B | Statement II alone is sufficient, but Statement I alone is not |
| C | Both statements together are sufficient, but neither alone is |
| D | Either statement alone is sufficient |
| E | Both statements together are still not sufficient |
Q. What is the age of Ravi?
I. Ravi is 5 years older than Sita.
II. Sita's age is 22 years.
Statement I alone gives only a relationship, not an actual age → not sufficient.
Statement II alone gives Sita's age, but not Ravi's → not sufficient.
Together: Ravi = 22+5 = 27 → sufficient. Answer: Option C.
Q. Is x > 10?
I. x + 5 > 12
II. x − 3 > 5
Statement I: x > 7 — doesn't confirm x > 10 → not sufficient.
Statement II: x > 8 — also doesn't confirm x > 10 → not sufficient.
Together: x > 8 (the stronger of the two conditions) — still doesn't guarantee x > 10 → not sufficient.
Answer: Option E.
⚠️ Key Insight: Never actually "solve" past the point of sufficiency — the moment you can
confirm a statement gives (or doesn't give) one unique answer, stop and move to the next check.
💡 Exam Tip: Check each statement in isolation first (never combine them on the first pass) —
combining too early is the most common reason candidates mislabel Option A or B as Option C.
✅ Practice Focus: Testing statements independently before combining · Recognising when a
relationship (not a value) is insufficient alone · Inequality-based sufficiency questions.