The answer is to increase the Lambda function’s memory to 3008 MB, which proportionally increases CPU power and resolves the timeout for large images. This works because AWS Lambda allocates CPU and other resources linearly with memory, so boosting memory from 512 MB to the maximum directly accelerates CPU-bound image processing, allowing the function to finish resizing within the existing 15-second timeout. On the AWS Certified Developer Associate DVA-C02 exam, this tests your understanding that Lambda’s memory and CPU are coupled—a common trap is to assume you must increase the timeout or add complex orchestration like Step Functions, but the key insight is that for CPU-bound tasks, more memory means more vCPUs, not just more RAM. Remember the mnemonic: “More memory means more muscle for CPU tasks.”
DVA-C02 Troubleshooting and Optimization Practice Question
This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of troubleshooting and optimization. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A developer is working on a serverless application that uses AWS Lambda functions to process user uploads. The uploads are stored in an S3 bucket, and each upload triggers a Lambda function that resizes images and stores metadata in DynamoDB. Recently, users have reported that some images are not being resized. The developer checks the CloudWatch logs and sees that the Lambda function is invoked, but it fails with a timeout error after 15 seconds for a few large images. The function has a timeout of 15 seconds and a memory of 512 MB. The image sizes vary from 1 MB to 50 MB. The developer wants to handle large images without increasing the timeout significantly, as that would increase costs. The function is CPU-bound during image processing. Which solution should the developer implement?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Increase the memory allocated to the Lambda function to 3008 MB, which also increases CPU power, allowing faster processing within the same timeout.
Option B is correct because increasing memory also increases CPU allocation in Lambda, which speeds up processing. Option A is wrong because splitting the image is complex and may not help. Option C is wrong because moving to Step Functions adds complexity and still needs processing time. Option D is wrong because increasing timeout alone may not help if CPU is the bottleneck.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Increase the memory allocated to the Lambda function to 3008 MB, which also increases CPU power, allowing faster processing within the same timeout.
Why this is correct
More memory improves CPU performance, reducing processing time.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Split the large images into smaller chunks before uploading to S3, then reassemble them after processing.
Why it's wrong here
Adds complexity and may not be feasible for all image types.
✗
Increase the Lambda function timeout to 5 minutes to accommodate large images.
Why it's wrong here
May not help if CPU is insufficient; also increases cost.
✗
Use AWS Step Functions to orchestrate the image processing workflow, allowing longer timeouts for individual steps.
Why it's wrong here
Does not solve the CPU bottleneck within Lambda.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which DVA-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Troubleshooting and Optimization — This question tests Troubleshooting and Optimization — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Increase the memory allocated to the Lambda function to 3008 MB, which also increases CPU power, allowing faster processing within the same timeout. — Option B is correct because increasing memory also increases CPU allocation in Lambda, which speeds up processing. Option A is wrong because splitting the image is complex and may not help. Option C is wrong because moving to Step Functions adds complexity and still needs processing time. Option D is wrong because increasing timeout alone may not help if CPU is the bottleneck.
What should I do if I get this DVA-C02 question wrong?
Identify which DVA-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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