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CSAT · 58 questions

Data interpretation & sufficiency

Every UPSC CSAT question on this topic, 2016–2026, newest first. Tap an option to check yourself; the answer and explanation open below it.

Data interpretation & sufficiency questions per year: 2016: 0, 2017: 1, 2018: 13, 2019: 0, 2020: 6, 2021: 5, 2022: 7, 2023: 5, 2024: 10, 2025: 5, 2026: 6 Asked in 9 of 11 years · most in 2018 (13)

UPSC syllabus: “Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) (Class X level), Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency etc. — Class X level);” See the full syllabus →

CSAT 2022 · Q19

Medium

Consider the Question and two Statements given below:

  1. Question: Is x an integer?
  2. Statement–1: x/3 is not an integer.
  3. Statement–2: 3x is an integer.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the Question and the Statements?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) Both Statement–1 and Statement–2 are not sufficient to answer the Question

x = 1 and x = 1/3 both satisfy both statements, but one is an integer and the other is not. So the statements cannot settle the question even when used together.

  1. Statement–1 alone: x = 1 gives x/3 = 1/3 (not an integer) and x is an integer; x = 1/2 gives x/3 = 1/6 and x is not an integer. Not sufficient.
  2. Statement–2 alone: x = 1 gives 3x = 3 and x = 1/3 gives 3x = 1; both are integers, yet only one x is an integer. Not sufficient.
  3. Together: x = 1 fits both (1/3 is not an integer, 3 is) and so does x = 1/3 (1/9 is not an integer, 1 is). One is an integer, the other is not.
  4. So even both statements together are not sufficient.

Remember · Data sufficiency: find two values that satisfy every statement yet give different answers — one such pair proves insufficiency.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2022, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2022 · Q25

Easy

Consider the Question and two Statements given below:

  1. Question: Is Z brother of X?
  2. Statement–1: X is a brother of Y and Y is a brother of Z.
  3. Statement–2: X, Y and Z are siblings.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the Question and the Statements?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) Both Statement–1 and Statement–2 are not sufficient to answer the Question

Both statements tell us X, Y and Z are siblings, and Statement–1 shows X and Y are male, but nothing tells us whether Z is male. Z could be X’s brother or sister, so even together the statements are not sufficient.

  1. Statement–1: X is a brother of Y and Y is a brother of Z, so X and Y are male and all three are siblings. Z’s gender is not given.
  2. Statement–2: X, Y and Z are siblings — again Z’s gender is not given.
  3. Together they still do not say whether Z is male, so Z may be X’s brother or X’s sister.
  4. Neither statement alone nor both together can answer the question.

Remember · ‘Is Z a brother?’ needs Z’s gender; statements that fix only other people’s gender cannot answer it.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2022, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2022 · Q37

Easy

Consider the Question and two Statements given below in respect of three cities P, Q and R in a State:

  1. Question: How far is city P from city Q?
  2. Statement–1: City Q is 18 km from city R.
  3. Statement–2: City P is 43 km from city R.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the Question and the Statements?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) Both Statement–1 and Statement–2 are not sufficient to answer the Question

Distances from R to P and to Q fix the distance PQ only if we know their directions from R. Without directions, PQ can be anything from 43 − 18 = 25 km to 43 + 18 = 61 km.

  1. Statement–1 gives only QR = 18 km and Statement–2 gives only PR = 43 km; neither alone mentions PQ.
  2. Together: if P and Q lie on the same side of R in a straight line, PQ = 43 − 18 = 25 km; on opposite sides, PQ = 43 + 18 = 61 km; in other directions, anything in between.
  3. PQ is not fixed, so both statements together are still not sufficient.

Remember · Two distances from a common point give only a range (difference to sum) unless directions are known.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2022, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2022 · Q48

Medium

Six persons A, B, C, D, E and F are sitting equidistant from each other around a circular table (facing the centre of the table).

Consider the Question and two Statements given below:

  1. Question: Who is sitting on the immediate left of A?
  2. Statement–1: B is sitting opposite to C and D is sitting opposite to E.
  3. Statement–2: F is sitting on the immediate left of B.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the Question and the Statements?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) Both Statement–1 and Statement–2 are not sufficient to answer the Question

Together the statements fix A opposite F, B next to F and C opposite B, which settles who is on A’s right (C) but not on A’s left: that seat can hold D or E. So even both statements are not sufficient.

  1. Statement–2 alone says nothing about A’s neighbours. Not sufficient.
  2. Statement–1 alone: with B–C and D–E opposite, A and F must be opposite each other, but A’s neighbours are still open. Not sufficient.
  3. Together: number the seats 1 to 6 clockwise with A at 1, so F is at 4. For people facing the centre, the immediate left is the next seat clockwise. F on B’s immediate left puts B at 3, and C (opposite B) at 6.
  4. D and E take seats 2 and 5 in either order. A’s immediate left is seat 2, which can be D or E.
  5. So both statements together are still not sufficient. (With the opposite left–right convention the picture is only mirrored, and A’s left is again D or E.)

Remember · In seating data sufficiency, draw the combined arrangement and look for a pair of people who can still swap.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2022, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2022 · Q49

Easy

Consider the Question and two Statements given below:

  1. Question: What is the age of Manisha?
  2. Statement–1: Manisha is 24 years younger than her mother.
  3. Statement–2: 5 years later, the ages of Manisha and her mother will be in the ratio 3:5.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the Question and the Statements?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) Both Statement–1 and Statement–2 are sufficient to answer the Question

Statement–1 gives the age gap and Statement–2 gives a future ratio; neither fixes Manisha’s age alone. Together they give (M + 5) : (M + 29) = 3 : 5, so Manisha is 31.

  1. Statement–1 alone gives only the age gap of 24 years. Not sufficient.
  2. Statement–2 alone gives a ratio but no actual ages. Not sufficient.
  3. Together: let Manisha be M years old, so her mother is M + 24. Then (M + 5)/(M + 29) = 3/5.
  4. 5M + 25 = 3M + 87, so 2M = 62 and M = 31.
  5. Check: in 5 years they will be 36 and 60, and 36 : 60 = 3 : 5.

Remember · Age data sufficiency: a gap alone or a ratio alone is never enough; a gap plus a ratio fixes both ages.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2022, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2022 · Q50

Easy

Six lectures A, B, C, D, E and F, each of one hour duration, are scheduled between 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

Consider the Question and two Statements given below:

  1. Question: Which lecture is in the third period?
  2. Statement–1: Lecture F is preceded by A and followed by C.
  3. Statement–2: There is no lecture after lecture B.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the Question and the Statements?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) Both Statement–1 and Statement–2 are not sufficient to answer the Question

With B fixed in the last period, the block A–F–C can still sit in periods 1–3, 2–4 or 3–5, so the third period could hold C, F or A. Even together the statements do not fix it.

  1. There are six one-hour periods from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., one lecture in each.
  2. Statement–1 alone: A, F, C come in that order, but the block can be anywhere. Not sufficient.
  3. Statement–2 alone: B is in the 6th period; the 3rd period is still open. Not sufficient.
  4. Together: A–F–C can fill periods 1–3, 2–4 or 3–5 (D and E take the rest), so the 3rd period can be C, F or A.
  5. So both statements together are not sufficient.

Remember · Scheduling data sufficiency: slide the fixed block through every free position before calling it sufficient.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2022, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2022 · Q70

Easy

A pie chart gives the expenditure on five different items A, B, C, D and E in a household. If B, C, D and E correspond to 90°, 50°, 45° and 75° respectively, then what is the percentage of expenditure on item A?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) 250/9

The angles of a pie chart add up to 360°, so A takes 360° − 260° = 100°. As a percentage, that is 100/360 × 100 = 250/9 %.

  1. Angles in a pie chart add up to 360°. A = 360° − (90° + 50° + 45° + 75°) = 360° − 260° = 100°.
  2. Percentage for A = 100/360 × 100 = 250/9 % (about 27.8%).

Remember · Pie chart: percentage = angle ÷ 360 × 100, so every 18° is 5%.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2022, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

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