Data Analysis and Interpretation
What this section tests
Data Analysis and Interpretation asks you to read tables, bar graphs, pie charts, line graphs, radar charts, and caselets, then answer calculation-heavy questions. Federal Bank PO DI often combines two sources, includes missing values, and requires approximation under time pressure.
Core rules
- Convert pie-chart percentages to degrees only when needed: 1% = 3.6°.
- For percentage change, always divide by the original/base value, not the new one.
- In missing-value tables, set up one equation per row or column and use the given total.
- For mixed graphs, align the units first; a bar in lakhs and a pie in percentages cannot be compared directly.
- Use approximation when options are far apart, but keep exact values for “difference” and “ratio” questions.
Worked example
A pie chart shows a company’s 2,400 employees across four units: A 25%, B 20%, C 15%, D 40%. How many more employees are in D than in C? D = 40% of 2,400 = 960; C = 15% of 2,400 = 360. Difference = 600. Shortcut: (40 − 15)% of 2,400 = 25% of 2,400 = 600.
Traps that cost marks
Confusing percentage points with percent change; using the new value as the base; ignoring “approximately”; misreading a stacked bar’s segment as the total; and forgetting that a caselet’s total may change between questions. Check whether the question asks for a ratio, a difference, or a percentage before calculating.