Data Interpretation • Topic 1 of 4

Reading Tables

A table is the densest way the GRE presents data, so the first move is orientation: read the title, then the column headers and the row labels, and note the units (dollars? thousands? percent?). Many table questions are answered by locating a single cell — the intersection of the right row and column — but the harder ones ask you to combine cells: a total across a row, a difference between two years, or a percent of a column total. Watch for two classic traps. First, tables often report figures "in thousands" or "in millions", so a cell reading 12 may mean 12,000; multiply consistently or, better, work in the table’s own units and only scale at the end. Second, a "% of total" question demands the correct whole — a column subtotal is not the grand total. Compute the total once, jot it down, and reuse it across the linked questions.

✅ Solved examples

1. A table of monthly sales (in $ thousands): Jan 40, Feb 55, Mar 65, Apr 50. What were total sales, in dollars, for the first quarter (Jan–Mar)?
Jan + Feb + Mar = 40 + 55 + 65 = 160 (thousand). In dollars that is 160 × 1000 = $160,000.
2. Same table (Jan 40, Feb 55, Mar 65, Apr 50, in $ thousands). By what percent did sales rise from January to March?
Change = 65 − 40 = 25 on a base of 40. (25/40) × 100 = 62.5%.
3. A table shows units sold by two stores: Store X — 120, 140, 160 over three months; Store Y — 80, 100, 120. What was Store X’s average monthly sales?
Sum = 120 + 140 + 160 = 420. Average = 420 / 3 = 140 units.
4. Quantitative Comparison. From the same table (X: 120, 140, 160; Y: 80, 100, 120), Quantity A: total units sold by Store X over the three months. Quantity B: total units sold by Store Y plus 200. Which is greater?
X total = 420. Y total = 80 + 100 + 120 = 300, plus 200 = 500. 420 < 500, so Quantity B is greater.

✏️ Practice — try these, take hints as needed

1. A table (in $ millions): Product A 8, B 12, C 5, D 15. Total revenue in dollars?
Add all four values.
8 + 12 + 5 + 15 = 40 million.
Convert millions to dollars.
$40,000,000
2. Same table (A 8, B 12, C 5, D 15, $ millions). Product B is what percent of total revenue?
Total is 40 million.
(12/40) × 100.
Simplify 12/40.
30%
3. A class table lists marks: 5 students at 60, 3 at 70, 2 at 90. What is the class average?
Weight each mark by its count.
(5×60 + 3×70 + 2×90)/10.
(300 + 210 + 180)/10.
69
4. A table of costs (in thousands): 2019 → 250, 2020 → 300. Percent increase over the year?
Base is the earlier year, 250.
Change = 300 − 250 = 50.
(50/250) × 100.
20%
5. A table shows exports by region: North 45, South 30, East 15, West 10 (in $ thousands). East and West combined are what fraction of the total?
Total = 45 + 30 + 15 + 10.
East + West = 15 + 10 = 25.
25 out of 100.
1/4 = 25%

📝 Topic test — 8 questions

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