This page covers SBI PO Data Sufficiency — Reasoning with complete concept notes, 14 graded practice MCQs, key points and exam-specific tips. Free to study.
Core ConceptRead this first — the foundation of the topic
Data Sufficiency is a unique question type where you don't solve the problem completely. Instead, you determine whether the given information is enough to answer the question. Think of it as being a detective - you need to check if the clues are sufficient to solve the case. In SSC CGL, data sufficiency questions typically provide a question followed by two statements (I and II). Your job is to decide which combination of statements can answer the question. The standard answer choices are:
A) Statement I alone is sufficient B) Statement II alone is sufficient
C) Both statements together are sufficient D) Neither statement is sufficient
E) Each statement alone is sufficient Key Rules: Never assume information not given. Don't make calculations unless necessary - just check if calculation is possible. Focus on 'Can I solve?' not 'What is the answer?'. Remember that 'sufficient' means you can find a unique answer, not multiple possibilities.
Exam PatternsWhat examiners ask — read before attempting PYQs
SSC CGL asks 2-3 data sufficiency questions per paper. Common topics include ages, profit-loss, time-work, geometry, and number problems. Questions often test logical thinking more than mathematical computation.
Powerful Shortcut: Use the SCAN method - S(can I solve with Statement I alone?), C(an I solve with Statement II alone?), A(re both needed together?), N(ot sufficient even together?). This systematic approach prevents confusion and saves time.
Worked ExampleSolve this step-by-step before moving on
1
Step 1
Check Statement I alone
Statement I gives us: Ram = Shyam + 5
This has two unknowns but only one equation. We cannot find Ram's exact age.
Statement I alone: NOT SUFFICIENT
2
Step 2
Check Statement II alone
Statement II gives us: Ram + 10 = 2 × (Shyam's current age)
Again, two unknowns, one equation. Cannot find exact ages.
Statement II alone: NOT SUFFICIENT
3
Step 3
Check both statements together
From I: Ram = Shyam + 5, so Shyam = Ram - 5
From II: Ram + 10 = 2 × Shyam
Substituting: Ram + 10 = 2(Ram - 5)
Ram + 10 = 2Ram - 10
20 = Ram
Both statements together give us Ram's age as 20 years.
Answer: C) Both statements together are sufficient
Exam TrapsCommon mistakes students make — avoid these
Students often try to solve the complete problem instead of just checking sufficiency. This wastes time and can lead to wrong conclusions. Another trap is assuming obvious information that isn't stated - stick strictly to what's given.
Remember: In data sufficiency, your goal is to be a judge, not a calculator.
Judge whether the evidence is enough to reach a verdict.
Key Points to Remember
Data sufficiency tests whether given information is enough to answer the question, not the actual answer
Standard format includes a question followed by two statements I and II
Five answer choices cover all combinations of statement sufficiency
Never assume information that is not explicitly provided in the statements
Focus on 'Can I solve?' rather than 'What is the solution?'
Use SCAN method: check Statement I alone, Statement II alone, both together, neither sufficient
Sufficient means you can find one unique answer, not multiple possibilities
Most common topics are ages, profit-loss, time-work, and basic geometry problems
Exam-Specific Tips
SSC CGL includes 2-3 data sufficiency questions per reasoning section
Standard answer choices are always A, B, C, D, E representing different statement combinations
Data sufficiency questions carry same marks as other logical reasoning questions
Age-related problems appear in 40% of data sufficiency questions in SSC exams
Time allocation should be maximum 2 minutes per data sufficiency question
Geometry-based data sufficiency questions often involve finding area or perimeter
Number theory problems frequently test concepts of even, odd, and prime numbers
Practice MCQs
Data Sufficiency — Reasoning — Practice Questions
14graded MCQs · easy to hard · full solution & trap analysis
Statements:
I. Some athletes are vegetarians.
II. All vegetarians are health-conscious.
Question: Are all athletes health-conscious?
A) Yes, all athletes are health-conscious
B) No, not all athletes are health-conscious
C) Cannot be determined
D) Yes, probably most athletes are health-conscious
Practice 2easy
Statements:
I. No politician is honest.
II. All honest people are trustworthy.
Question: Are all politicians untrustworthy?
A) Yes, definitely
B) No, definitely not
C) Cannot be concluded from the given statements
D) Yes, probably
Practice 3easy
In a Data Sufficiency question, we need to determine: 'How many students in Class X scored above 75 marks?'
Statement I: 40% of the 50 students in Class X scored above 75 marks.
Statement II: The total marks scored by all students is 3750, and the average is 75 marks.
Which statement(s) is/are sufficient to answer the question?
Practice 4easy
Statements:
I. Some flowers are red.
II. All red things are beautiful.
III. Some beautiful things are not flowers.
Question: Which of the following must be true?
A) All flowers are beautiful
B) Some flowers are beautiful
C) No flowers are beautiful
D) All beautiful things are flowers
Practice 5easy
Statements:
I. All teachers are educated.
II. Some educated people are not doctors.
Question: Can we conclude that some teachers are not doctors?
A) Yes, the conclusion definitely follows
B) No, the conclusion does not follow
C) Yes, the conclusion probably follows
D) Cannot be determined from the given statements
Practice 6easy
Statements:
I. All engineers are problem-solvers.
II. All problem-solvers are logical thinkers.
Question: Can we conclude that all engineers are logical thinkers?
A) No, we cannot conclude this
B) Yes, we can definitely conclude this
C) Yes, but only some engineers
D) Cannot be determined from the statements
Practice 7medium
A company has employees in three departments: Sales, Marketing, and IT. Statement I: 40% of employees are in Sales, and 30% are in Marketing. Statement II: The number of IT employees is 60. Which statement(s) is/are sufficient to determine the total number of employees?
(A) Only Statement I is sufficient
(B) Only Statement II is sufficient
(C) Both statements together are sufficient
(D) Neither statement alone nor together is sufficient
Practice 8medium
In a group of 5 people, each person has a different profession among: Doctor, Engineer, Teacher, Lawyer, and Accountant. Consider the following statements:
Statement I: The Doctor earns more than the Engineer.
Statement II: The Lawyer earns more than the Teacher.
Statement III: The Accountant earns less than the Engineer.
Question: Can we determine whether the Doctor earns more than the Lawyer?
A) Yes, the data in Statement I alone is sufficient.
B) Yes, the data in Statements I and II together are sufficient.
C) Yes, the data in all three statements together are sufficient.
D) No, even with all three statements, we cannot determine this.
Practice 9medium
A store sells three types of items: Books, Pens, and Notebooks. Statement I: Books cost twice as much as Pens, and Notebooks cost 50% more than Pens. Statement II: The total cost of 2 Books, 3 Pens, and 1 Notebook is Rs. 500. Which statement(s) is/are sufficient to determine the individual price of each item?
(A) Only Statement I is sufficient
(B) Only Statement II is sufficient
(C) Both statements together are sufficient
(D) Neither statement alone nor together is sufficient
Practice 10medium
Five people—P, Q, R, S, T—are standing in a line. Statement I: Q is to the right of P, and S is to the right of Q. Statement II: T is at one end, and R is immediately to the left of S. What is the order of people from left to right?
(A) Only Statement I is sufficient
(B) Only Statement II is sufficient
(C) Both statements together are sufficient
(D) Neither statement alone nor together is sufficient
Practice 11hard
In a logic puzzle, Statement A: 'All members of Club X are vegetarians.' Statement B: 'Some vegetarians are members of Club X.' Statement C: 'No non-vegetarian can be a member of Club X.' Which statement(s) logically follow from the others?
Practice 12hard
A company has employees in three departments: Sales, Marketing, and Operations. Statement I: 'The number of Sales employees is twice the number of Marketing employees.' Statement II: 'The total number of employees is 180, and Operations has 20 more employees than Marketing.' Can we determine the exact number of Sales employees?
Practice 13hard
In a family of 6 people, there are three married couples. Each couple has exactly one child together. Statement I: The total number of parent-child relationships is 6. Statement II: If we know that person A is the father of person B, and person B is the father of person C, then A is the grandfather of C. Which statement(s) is/are sufficient to determine the exact family structure?
Practice 14hard
A person travels from City P to City Q. Statement I: The person travels 60 km north, then 80 km east, then 60 km south. Statement II: The straight-line distance from P to Q is 80 km. Are both statements consistent?
60-Second Revision — Data Sufficiency — Reasoning
Remember: Judge sufficiency, don't calculate the actual answer unless necessary
Formula: Use SCAN method to systematically check each statement combination
Trap: Never assume information not explicitly stated in the problem
Strategy: If one statement alone works, don't waste time checking combinations
Focus: Look for unique answer possibility, not multiple solutions
Time tip: Spend maximum 2 minutes per question using elimination method