- A
Enable managed spot training
Spot instances are much cheaper than on-demand; SageMaker managed spot automatically handles interruptions.
- B
Use the most powerful GPU instance available to finish faster
Why wrong: More powerful instances are more expensive; cost savings come from using cheaper instances, not faster ones.
- C
Select ml.g5.xlarge instead of ml.p3.2xlarge
ml.g5 instances are generally more cost-effective than older p3 instances for many workloads.
- D
Increase the number of instances to reduce time
Why wrong: Adding more instances increases total cost, even if job finishes faster; the goal is to minimize cost, not time.
- E
Disable checkpointing to save storage costs
Why wrong: Checkpointing is essential for spot instance training to resume from failures; without it, all progress could be lost.
MLA-C01 ML Model Development Practice Question
This MLA-C01 practice question tests your understanding of ml model development. 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 training a large language model using SageMaker and wants to reduce training costs. The training job is expected to run for several days. Which TWO actions should the data scientist take to minimize costs? (Choose TWO.)
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"minimum / minimize"Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
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
Enable managed spot training
Using spot instances can save up to 90% compared to on-demand. Choosing a cheaper instance type like ml.g5 reduces cost. Managed spot training in SageMaker handles interruptions automatically. GPU instances are not always necessary; the cheapest instance that meets requirements should be selected. Checkpointing is needed for spot instance resilience.
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.
- ✓
Enable managed spot training
Why this is correct
Spot instances are much cheaper than on-demand; SageMaker managed spot automatically handles interruptions.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use the most powerful GPU instance available to finish faster
Why it's wrong here
More powerful instances are more expensive; cost savings come from using cheaper instances, not faster ones.
- ✓
Select ml.g5.xlarge instead of ml.p3.2xlarge
Why this is correct
ml.g5 instances are generally more cost-effective than older p3 instances for many workloads.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Increase the number of instances to reduce time
Why it's wrong here
Adding more instances increases total cost, even if job finishes faster; the goal is to minimize cost, not time.
- ✗
Disable checkpointing to save storage costs
Why it's wrong here
Checkpointing is essential for spot instance training to resume from failures; without it, all progress could be lost.
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 MLA-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 MLA-C01 question test?
ML Model Development — This question tests ML Model Development — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable managed spot training — Using spot instances can save up to 90% compared to on-demand. Choosing a cheaper instance type like ml.g5 reduces cost. Managed spot training in SageMaker handles interruptions automatically. GPU instances are not always necessary; the cheapest instance that meets requirements should be selected. Checkpointing is needed for spot instance resilience.
What should I do if I get this MLA-C01 question wrong?
Identify which MLA-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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
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 →
Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This MLA-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 MLA-C01 exam.
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