20+ practice questions focused on Describe core data concepts — one of the most tested topics on the Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals DP-900 exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation so you learn why the right answer is correct.
Start Describe core data concepts PracticeA company collects customer feedback in three forms: a structured table with customer ID and rating (1-5), free-text comments, and audio recordings of phone calls. Which of the following correctly orders these data from least structured to most structured?
Explanation: Ly orders the data from least structured to most structured. Audio recordings are unstructured (no schema). Free-text comments are also unstructured (no fixed format in DP-900 classification). The structured table has defined columns and data types. Thus, the order is audio (unstructured), free-text (unstructured), structured table.
A retail company operates an online store. When a customer places an order, the system immediately updates inventory and payment records. Separately, the company's business analysts run weekly reports that aggregate sales data to identify trends. Which two terms correctly describe these workloads?
Explanation: The order processing system that immediately updates inventory and payment records is a classic example of real-time processing and Online Transaction Processing (OLTP), which handles high volumes of small, real-time transactions with ACID guarantees. The weekly sales aggregation reports run by business analysts are batch processing and Online Analytical Processing (OLAP), involving complex queries over large historical datasets to support business intelligence. Therefore, both option A (batch processing and real-time processing) and option B (OLTP and OLAP) correctly describe the two workloads, as they represent the same concepts from different perspectives.
A hospital system stores patient medical records. Each record includes structured data like patient ID, name, date of birth, and also includes unstructured data like doctor's notes and X-ray images. Which type of data is the doctor's notes?
Explanation: Doctor's notes are unstructured data because they consist of free-form text that does not follow a predefined data model or schema. Unlike structured data (e.g., patient ID, name) which fits neatly into rows and columns, doctor's notes lack a fixed format and cannot be easily queried using traditional relational database tools without additional processing.
A manufacturing company uses IoT sensors to monitor machine temperature. The data is analyzed immediately to trigger alerts if temperature exceeds a threshold. The same data is also stored and later analyzed to identify long-term trends. Which two terms best describe these data processing approaches?
Explanation: Only Option A is correct. In this scenario, alerts require immediate analysis, which is achieved by real-time processing (or stream processing). For long-term trend analysis, data is stored and processed in bulk using batch processing. Option B incorrectly pairs stream processing with transactional processing: transactional processing (OLTP) is designed for transaction-oriented workloads, not analytical trend analysis. The correct approach for trend analysis is batch processing, not transactional processing. Options C and D reverse the pairings or use inappropriate terms (OLAP/OLTP) for the described workloads.
A global e-commerce platform uses a distributed database for its shopping cart service. The platform must be highly available and continue to accept writes even if network partitions occur between data centers. The business accepts that during a partition, users might see slightly outdated inventory counts, but the service must remain operational. According to the CAP theorem, which two properties is this system prioritizing?
Explanation: According to the CAP theorem, during a network partition, a distributed system must choose between consistency and availability. This system is designed to remain available and accept writes even during partitions, accepting that users may see slightly outdated inventory (inconsistent data). Therefore, it prioritizes Availability and Partition Tolerance (AP). Option C (Consistency and Availability) is not possible during a partition. The correct answer is B only.
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3. Focus on exam traps
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