- A
Amazon SageMaker Data Wrangler
Why wrong: Amazon SageMaker Data Wrangler is a visual interface for data preparation within SageMaker, but it is not a direct service for querying or profiling S3 data without additional steps; it is not the best choice for direct EDA on S3.
- B
AWS CloudTrail
Why wrong: AWS CloudTrail logs API calls, not data content, so it cannot be used for data distribution or missing value analysis.
- C
Amazon Athena
Amazon Athena allows SQL queries on S3 data, enabling easy aggregation and distribution analysis.
- D
Amazon EMR
Why wrong: Amazon EMR requires provisioning a Hadoop cluster and is more complex for simple EDA tasks; it is not as direct as Athena or DataBrew.
- E
AWS Glue DataBrew
AWS Glue DataBrew offers visual profiling and data cleaning, directly detecting missing values and distributions from S3 data.
Two AWS Services for Direct EDA on S3 Data
This MLS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of exploratory data analysis. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 wants to understand the distribution and missing values in a large dataset stored in Amazon S3. Which TWO AWS services can be used directly for this exploratory data analysis? (Choose TWO.)
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
Amazon Athena
Amazon Athena allows SQL-based queries directly on data in Amazon S3, enabling aggregation for distribution analysis and identification of missing values. AWS Glue DataBrew provides a visual interface for data profiling, including detection of missing values and distributions. Amazon SageMaker Data Wrangler, while capable of similar tasks, is not a standalone service for direct S3 exploration—it requires an active SageMaker Studio environment and is more suited for preparing data for machine learning rather than ad hoc exploratory analysis. AWS CloudTrail is an auditing service and does not analyze data content. Amazon EMR requires setting up and managing a cluster, making it less direct than the serverless options.
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.
- ✗
Amazon SageMaker Data Wrangler
Why it's wrong here
Amazon SageMaker Data Wrangler is a visual interface for data preparation within SageMaker, but it is not a direct service for querying or profiling S3 data without additional steps; it is not the best choice for direct EDA on S3.
- ✗
AWS CloudTrail
Why it's wrong here
AWS CloudTrail logs API calls, not data content, so it cannot be used for data distribution or missing value analysis.
- ✓
Amazon Athena
Why this is correct
Amazon Athena allows SQL queries on S3 data, enabling easy aggregation and distribution analysis.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Amazon EMR
Why it's wrong here
Amazon EMR requires provisioning a Hadoop cluster and is more complex for simple EDA tasks; it is not as direct as Athena or DataBrew.
- ✓
AWS Glue DataBrew
Why this is correct
AWS Glue DataBrew offers visual profiling and data cleaning, directly detecting missing values and distributions from S3 data.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which MLS-C01 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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this MLS-C01 question test?
Exploratory Data Analysis — This question tests Exploratory Data Analysis — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Amazon Athena — Amazon Athena allows SQL-based queries directly on data in Amazon S3, enabling aggregation for distribution analysis and identification of missing values. AWS Glue DataBrew provides a visual interface for data profiling, including detection of missing values and distributions. Amazon SageMaker Data Wrangler, while capable of similar tasks, is not a standalone service for direct S3 exploration—it requires an active SageMaker Studio environment and is more suited for preparing data for machine learning rather than ad hoc exploratory analysis. AWS CloudTrail is an auditing service and does not analyze data content. Amazon EMR requires setting up and managing a cluster, making it less direct than the serverless options.
What should I do if I get this MLS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which MLS-C01 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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
This MLS-C01 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services 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 MLS-C01 exam.
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