AD/BCE Grid

Definition

AD/BCE Grid in plain English

Pull the AD/BCE Grid on every Data Sufficiency question. First judge Statement (1) by itself. If Statement (1) is enough, only Options A and D can still be right. If Statement (1) is not enough, only Options B, C, and E can still be right. Then judge Statement (2) inside that smaller block. Clues include Statement (1), Statement (2), and the five Data Sufficiency choices. Blueprint: finish (1) alone, lock the block, then open (2). Why it beats the long way: jumping into Statement (2) while still holding Statement (1) in mind is the classic trap that invents a fake Option C. Micro-example: Statement (1) alone answers the stem, so you have already locked Options A and D. You only need Statement (2) to decide between A and D, never to reopen B, C, or E.

Related GMAT terms

• Axis & Legend Pre-Read
• Continuous Data
• Data Sufficiency
• Interval Data
• Nominal Data
• Ordinal Data
• Ratio Data
• Data Sufficiency Range Test
• Unit Analysis
• Break-Even