A 3-step framework for Two-Part Analysis

Two-Part Analysis (TPA) is one of the more format-heavy question types in Data Insights, and a lot of test-takers lose time simply figuring out what is being asked before they even start solving.

Here is a three-step framework that works for the vast majority of TPA questions:

1. Read the prompt once for structure only. Identify the two things you are solving for (they are almost always related — one depends on the other, or they are two ends of the same relationship) before you read any answer choices.

2. Set up the relationship algebraically or logically before touching the table. Most TPA questions are really a single equation or logical constraint wearing a table costume. Write it down.

3. Use the answer choices as a shortcut, not a last resort. Once you know the relationship, plug in values from the shared answer column rather than solving from scratch — this is often faster than isolating variables by hand, especially under time pressure.

The biggest time sink is re-reading the prompt multiple times because the two-column format feels unfamiliar. Practicing the "read for structure first" habit on even a handful of questions makes the format stop feeling foreign.