This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of continuous improvement for existing solutions. 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.
Refer to the exhibit. An EC2 instance in subnet-11111 (10.0.1.0/24) cannot access the internet. The route table for the subnet is shown. What is the MOST likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
The route table does not have a default route (0.0.0.0/0).
Why wrong: The route table shows a 0.0.0.0/0 route.
The VPC does not have a local route.
Why wrong: The local route is present.
The route table is not associated with the subnet.
Why wrong: The association shows the route table is associated with subnet-11111.
The NAT gateway is not in a public subnet with an internet gateway.
NAT gateway requires a public subnet and internet gateway to function.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
The NAT gateway is not in a public subnet with an internet gateway.
For an EC2 instance in a private subnet to access the internet via a NAT gateway, the NAT gateway must be deployed in a public subnet (with a route to an internet gateway). Option D correctly identifies that the NAT gateway is not in a public subnet with an internet gateway. Option A is incorrect because the route table does have a default route (0.0.0.0/0) pointing to the NAT gateway. Option B is incorrect because the VPC has a local route for internal traffic. Option C is incorrect because the route table is associated with the subnet (the exhibit shows the subnet ID). Therefore, the most likely cause is that the NAT gateway itself is in a private subnet, preventing it from reaching the internet.
Key principle: Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
The route table does not have a default route (0.0.0.0/0).
Why it's wrong here
The route table shows a 0.0.0.0/0 route.
The VPC does not have a local route.
Why it's wrong here
The local route is present.
The route table is not associated with the subnet.
Why it's wrong here
The association shows the route table is associated with subnet-11111.
The NAT gateway is not in a public subnet with an internet gateway.
Common exam traps
Subnetting questions often tempt you into counting all addresses. In normal IPv4 subnets, the network and broadcast addresses are not usable host addresses.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
The route table shows a 0.0.0.0/0 route.
Detailed technical explanation
Subnetting questions test whether you can identify the network, broadcast address, usable range, mask and correct subnet. Slow down enough to calculate the block size correctly.
Key takeaway
Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.
Real-world example
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.
Visual reference
What to study next
Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related SAP-C02 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
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FAQ
Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — This question tests Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — CIDR notation defines the prefix length..
The correct answer is: The NAT gateway is not in a public subnet with an internet gateway. — For an EC2 instance in a private subnet to access the internet via a NAT gateway, the NAT gateway must be deployed in a public subnet (with a route to an internet gateway). Option D correctly identifies that the NAT gateway is not in a public subnet with an internet gateway. Option A is incorrect because the route table does have a default route (0.0.0.0/0) pointing to the NAT gateway. Option B is incorrect because the VPC has a local route for internal traffic. Option C is incorrect because the route table is associated with the subnet (the exhibit shows the subnet ID). Therefore, the most likely cause is that the NAT gateway itself is in a private subnet, preventing it from reaching the internet.
Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related SAP-C02 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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