You may have noticed that every question on the new Integrated Reasoning section involves variables. Variables are the factors in a question. In the real world, some variables are time, distance, rate, etc. You’ll need to effectively manage your time on the Integrated Reasoning section, so only spend so long on the graphs, tables, or paragraphs to identify just the main information, the variables and their relationships to each other, and don’t get bogged down with the confusing details. Remember, it doesn’t matter what aspect of business the Integrated Reasoning is focused on – it’s the concept that should always be your focus!
A “variable” in Quant is a placeholder for an unknown, like x or y. In these complex questions, it is somewhat that can affect the data. Independent variables are factors that are controlled. Dependent variables are factors that are observed to change, those which are uncontrolled results. On the Integrated Reasoning section, you’ll mostly be focusing on the dependent variables, and how they are dependent, especially in Table Analysis questions.
Direct variation occurs when two variables change in the same way over time. If Column A increases and Column B increases at the same time, we can say that the two columns vary directly. If when Column A increases, Column B decreases, there is an indirect (also called inverse) variation between the two elements. In the real world, think of a pie and the number of slices eaten. The weight of the pie is inversely proportional to the number of slices eaten. That means that as more and more slices are eaten, the pie weights less and less.
Check out GMAT Integrated Reasoning Table Analysis: What is Sorting? blog post for more GMAT IR advice!
