This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of technology. 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.
Refer to the exhibit. A CloudFormation template is used to launch an EC2 instance for SAP. The instance launches but the root volume is only 50 GB. The SAP installation requires at least 100 GB for the root volume. How should the template be modified?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "least"
Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Change VolumeSize from 50 to 100 in the BlockDeviceMapping.
Option A is correct because the CloudFormation template explicitly defines the root volume size in the BlockDeviceMapping property. By changing VolumeSize from 50 to 100, the template will provision a new EC2 instance with a 100 GB root volume, meeting the SAP installation requirement. The BlockDeviceMapping overrides the default root volume size from the AMI, so this is the precise way to control volume size at launch.
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.
✓
Change VolumeSize from 50 to 100 in the BlockDeviceMapping.
Why this is correct
Increasing the VolumeSize value will allocate a larger root volume.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Change the InstanceType to a larger instance.
Why it's wrong here
Instance type does not affect root volume size.
✗
Modify the running instance's root volume size using the AWS Management Console.
Why it's wrong here
The template is used for new launches; the question asks to modify the template.
✗
Change the ImageId to an AMI with a larger root volume.
Why it's wrong here
The AMI may have a smaller root volume; the template overrides it.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
This question tests the misconception that changing the instance type or AMI alone can adjust root volume size, when in fact the BlockDeviceMapping is the explicit mechanism to control root volume size at launch.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The BlockDeviceMapping property in CloudFormation allows you to specify EBS volume configurations for EC2 instances, including the root device. When you set VolumeSize, it overrides the AMI's default size, but the volume must be at least as large as the AMI's snapshot. Under the hood, CloudFormation passes this to the EC2 RunInstances API, which creates the volume from the snapshot and then resizes it to the specified size. A real-world scenario is when SAP requires a specific root volume size for installation directories and logs; failing to set this in the template leads to launch failures or manual resizing after deployment.
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.
TExam Day Tips
→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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Technology — This question tests Technology — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Change VolumeSize from 50 to 100 in the BlockDeviceMapping. — Option A is correct because the CloudFormation template explicitly defines the root volume size in the BlockDeviceMapping property. By changing VolumeSize from 50 to 100, the template will provision a new EC2 instance with a 100 GB root volume, meeting the SAP installation requirement. The BlockDeviceMapping overrides the default root volume size from the AMI, so this is the precise way to control volume size at launch.
What should I do if I get this PAS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
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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