GMAT Data Sufficiency: Value and Yes/No Questions

By Muntasir Jul 31, 2026 6 min read

TL;DR

Data Sufficiency questions never ask you to solve a problem. They ask if the given statements give enough information to solve it. Every Data Sufficiency question uses the same five answer choices, so memorize them before test day. Test statement (1) alone, clear your mind, test statement (2) alone, then combine only if neither works by itself.

Value questions: a statement is sufficient only when it narrows the answer to one exact number.
Yes/No questions: a statement is sufficient when it gives the same yes or the same no every time, even a firm no.

Watch for two common traps: assuming numbers are positive or whole, and picking C on reflex when one statement alone already works.

GMAT Data Sufficiency: Value and Yes/No Questions

Data Sufficiency is a GMAT question format built around one skill: judging if information is enough, not computing a final answer. Each question gives a question stem and two statements labeled (1) and (2). Your job is to decide which combination of statements, if any, pins down a definite answer. Data Sufficiency sits inside the Data Insights section, one of five question formats there alongside Multi-Source Reasoning, Table Analysis, Graphics Interpretation and Two-Part Analysis. Quantitative Reasoning contains only Problem Solving questions, so Data Sufficiency never appears there.

This guide covers the five fixed answer choices, the different logic for Value questions versus Yes/No questions, common traps for new test-takers, and the order to test statements in. Two worked examples show the full process end to end.

The 5 Answer Choices

Every Data Sufficiency question on the GMAT reuses the identical five answer choices, worded the same way each time. Memorizing this list before test day saves reading time on every single question.

Choice	Meaning
A	Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.
B	Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.
C	BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
D	EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.
E	Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient.

Read the stem first, then treat each statement as an independent fact before combining them. The order you test them in reduces careless mix-ups between A, B, C and D.

Where Data Sufficiency Fits

Data Sufficiency shares its section with four other formats and a fixed time budget. The table below breaks down the current GMAT Focus Edition structure.

Section	Question Types	Questions	Time
Quantitative Reasoning	Problem Solving	21	45 min
Verbal Reasoning	Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning	23	45 min
Data Insights	Data Sufficiency, Multi-Source Reasoning, Table Analysis, Graphics Interpretation, Two-Part Analysis	20	45 min

The full exam runs 64 questions across three sections in 2 hours 15 minutes of testing time, plus one optional 10-minute break you take between sections, per GMAC's published exam content.

How to Approach Value Questions

A Value question asks for one specific number, for example a price, a distance or a probability. A statement is sufficient only when it narrows the possible values down to exactly one.

Read the stem and note the single value the question wants.
Test statement (1) alone. Check whether more than one possible value fits it.
If more than one value fits, mark statement (1) not sufficient and move on.
Repeat the same check for statement (2) alone, ignoring statement (1).
Combine the two statements only if neither one alone pins down a single value.

A statement fails as soon as two different numbers both satisfy it. One valid counterexample rules a statement out, so a full solve is not needed once a second possibility appears.

How to Approach Yes/No Questions

A Yes/No question asks if a condition holds, for example whether a number is even or whether one value is greater than another. A statement is sufficient only when it produces the same answer, always yes or always no, for every value it allows.

Read the stem and identify the yes/no condition being tested.
Test statement (1) alone. Look for one case where the answer is yes and another case where the answer is no.
If both a yes case and a no case fit the statement, mark it not sufficient.
If every case constructed gives the same answer, mark the statement sufficient, even when the answer is always no.
Repeat for statement (2) alone, then combine if neither works alone.

A consistent no answer counts as sufficient. New test-takers often mistake a firm no for a failure and mark the statement not sufficient by mistake. Sufficiency means the answer stays fixed. It does not mean the answer must be yes.

Common Traps

Assuming Positive Numbers or Integers

GMAT variables are not positive or whole numbers unless the stem or a statement says so directly. A statement like x squared equals 16 allows x to equal 4 or negative 4 unless the stem already restricts x to positive numbers. Treating x as automatically positive turns an insufficient statement into a false sufficient one. Review sign and integer rules in our GMAT Number Properties guide before test day.

The C-Trap

The C-trap happens when a test-taker skips straight to combining both statements without testing each one alone first. Combining the statements often produces a sufficient result. This looks like confirmation for C, even when one statement alone was already sufficient on its own. Testing each statement separately before combining catches this trap every time.

Test Each Statement Alone First

The order you test statements in maps directly to the five answer choices. Follow the same sequence on every question.

Test statement (1) alone. Set statement (2) aside completely.
Decide whether statement (1) alone is sufficient or not sufficient.
Clear your mind of statement (1), then test statement (2) alone using the same process.
Combine the statements only if neither one alone was sufficient.

The pattern of results maps directly onto one of the five answer choices, shown below.

Outcome	Answer
Statement (1) alone works, statement (2) alone does not	A
Statement (2) alone works, statement (1) alone does not	B
Neither alone works, but both together do	C
Each statement alone works	D
Neither statement works, even combined	E

Walkthroughs

Value Question Walkthrough

Question: what is the value of x? Statement (1): x squared equals 16. Statement (2): x is greater than 0.

Statement (1) alone allows x to equal 4 or negative 4, two different values, so statement (1) alone is not sufficient. Statement (2) alone only says x is positive, and infinite positive numbers satisfy this, so statement (2) alone is not sufficient. Combined, x squared equals 16 and x is greater than 0 together narrow the value to exactly x equals 4. Both statements together are sufficient, but neither statement alone was sufficient. The answer is C.

Yes/No Question Walkthrough

Question: is n divisible by 6? Statement (1): n is divisible by 3. Statement (2): n is even.

Statement (1) alone allows n to equal 9, which is not divisible by 6, and n to equal 6, which is divisible by 6. Two different answers appear, so statement (1) alone is not sufficient. Statement (2) alone allows n to equal 4, which is not divisible by 6, and n to equal 6, which is divisible by 6. Two different answers appear again, so statement (2) alone is not sufficient.

Combined, a number divisible by both 3 and 2 is always divisible by 6. Both statements together give one consistent answer, yes, so both together are sufficient, while neither statement alone was sufficient. The answer is C.

Practice each question type on its own before mixing them together. We offer free Data Sufficiency (Value) and Data Sufficiency (Yes/No) drills at three difficulty levels, with instant scoring and no signup required. Visit our GMAT prep page for the full library of mocks and section practice. Check your target composite score with our GMAT score calculator.