CCDV-F Model Selection and Cost Management Practice Question
A developer is comparing the cost of using Claude 3 Opus versus Claude 3.5 Sonnet for a task that requires complex reasoning. The task involves processing 1,000 requests, each with 500 input tokens and 200 output tokens. Which statement accurately reflects the cost consideration?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that a more powerful model like Opus is always more expensive overall, or that a cheaper model like Sonnet will always be cheaper in total, without considering how token usage might differ between models.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Claude 3.5 Sonnet is less expensive per token than Claude 3 Opus, but it may require more tokens to match Opus's reasoning quality.
When choosing between Claude 3 Opus and Claude 3.5 Sonnet for complex reasoning, developers must weigh per-token cost against the number of tokens needed. Sonnet is cheaper per token, but Opus may deliver better results with fewer tokens. The correct statement acknowledges that Sonnet is less expensive per token but might require more tokens to match Opus's quality, making total cost dependent on the specific task and prompt engineering.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The cost is identical because both models are billed at the same rate for input and output tokens.
Why it's wrong here
Claude 3 Opus and Claude 3.5 Sonnet have different pricing tiers. Opus is priced higher per token than Sonnet. Therefore, the cost is not identical; using Opus for the same token counts would result in a higher total cost. Developers must consider the specific pricing of each model.
- ✗
Claude 3 Opus is cheaper for output tokens but more expensive for input tokens compared to Claude 3.5 Sonnet.
Why it's wrong here
Anthropic's pricing for Opus is higher than Sonnet for both input and output tokens. There is no scenario where Opus is cheaper for output tokens. This option incorrectly states the pricing relationship, which could lead to flawed cost calculations.
- ✗
Claude 3 Opus is always more cost-effective for complex reasoning because it requires fewer tokens to achieve the same result.
Why it's wrong here
While Opus may sometimes produce more accurate results with fewer tokens, it is not always more cost-effective. Its per-token price is significantly higher than Sonnet's. For many complex reasoning tasks, Sonnet can achieve comparable results at a lower cost, making Opus more expensive overall unless the task absolutely requires Opus's advanced capabilities.
- ✓
Claude 3.5 Sonnet is less expensive per token than Claude 3 Opus, but it may require more tokens to match Opus's reasoning quality.
Why this is correct
Claude 3.5 Sonnet has a lower per-token cost than Claude 3 Opus, but for highly complex reasoning, it might need more tokens or additional prompting to achieve similar results. The total cost depends on both the per-token price and the number of tokens required. This statement accurately captures the trade-off developers must evaluate.
About these practice questions
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Anthropic exam blueprint
This CCDV-F practice question is part of Courseiva's free Anthropic certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CCDV-F exam.