The answer is computing the Variance Inflation Factor (VIF) and applying Principal Component Analysis (PCA). VIF directly quantifies how much a predictor’s variance is inflated due to correlation with other features, with values above 5 or 10 signaling problematic multicollinearity, while PCA addresses the issue by transforming correlated variables into a set of orthogonal (uncorrelated) components. On the AWS Certified Machine Learning Specialty MLS-C01 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between detection techniques and remediation methods—a common trap is confusing pairwise correlation matrices, which only show linear relationships between two variables, with VIF’s ability to capture multi-feature dependencies. Another frequent pitfall is mistaking Lasso or Recursive Feature Elimination for multicollinearity tools, when they are actually used for feature selection or regularization. Remember the mnemonic: “VIF detects, PCA corrects—correlation alone neglects.”
MLS-C01 Exploratory Data Analysis Practice Question
This MLS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of exploratory data analysis. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 data scientist is analyzing a dataset with high multicollinearity. Which TWO techniques can help identify and address multicollinearity?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use Principal Component Analysis (PCA)
Correct options: A and D. VIF (A) quantifies multicollinearity; PCA (D) creates orthogonal components. Option B is wrong because correlation matrix only shows pairwise correlations. Option C is wrong because Lasso does feature selection but does not identify multicollinearity. Option E is wrong because RFE is for feature selection, not multicollinearity detection.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Plot a correlation matrix
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Correlation matrix only shows pairwise relationships, not multicollinearity.
✗
Apply Lasso regression
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Lasso can reduce features but does not identify multicollinearity.
✗
Use Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE)
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: RFE selects features but does not address multicollinearity.
✓
Use Principal Component Analysis (PCA)
Why this is correct
Correct: PCA creates uncorrelated components.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✓
Compute Variance Inflation Factor (VIF)
Why this is correct
Correct: VIF measures how much a feature is explained by others.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Incorrect: Correlation matrix only shows pairwise relationships, not multicollinearity.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related MLS-C01 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Exploratory Data Analysis — This question tests Exploratory Data Analysis — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use Principal Component Analysis (PCA) — Correct options: A and D. VIF (A) quantifies multicollinearity; PCA (D) creates orthogonal components. Option B is wrong because correlation matrix only shows pairwise correlations. Option C is wrong because Lasso does feature selection but does not identify multicollinearity. Option E is wrong because RFE is for feature selection, not multicollinearity detection.
What should I do if I get this MLS-C01 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related MLS-C01 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Question Discussion
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