200-901 Software Development and Design Practice Question
Which TWO statements about the MVC pattern are correct? (Choose two.)
⚠ Common exam trap
200-901 often tests the direction of dependencies in MVC — candidates frequently assume the Model depends on the View or that the View can modify the Model directly, which inverts the intended decoupling.
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
✓
Controller handles user input and updates the Model.
Option B is correct because in MVC the Controller is the component that receives and interprets user input (e.g., HTTP requests or UI events) and then invokes the appropriate operations on the Model to change application state. Option C is correct because the View is responsible for rendering/presenting the Model's data to the user, typically reading from the Model (or a ViewModel) without containing business logic. Option A is incorrect because the Model must not depend on the View; dependencies flow from View/Controller toward the Model, not the reverse. Option D is incorrect because the Model represents application data and business rules, not the user interface. Option E is incorrect because the View should not directly modify the Model; modifications go through the Controller to preserve separation of concerns.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Model is dependent on the View.
Why it's wrong here
The Model holds application data and logic and knows nothing of the View, so it cannot depend on it; the View observes the Model instead. It tempts because in some frameworks the Model notifies observers, which looks like a dependency, but that is the View registering with the Model, not the reverse.
- ✓
Controller handles user input and updates the Model.
Why this is correct
In MVC, the controller receives user input, interprets it, and invokes the appropriate model operations, so the model's state changes accordingly. This directly satisfies the stem's requirement that the controller handles input and updates the model, distinguishing it from the view, which only renders output.
- ✓
View displays data from the Model.
Why this is correct
The View renders the Model's data for the user, satisfying MVC's separation between presentation and business logic. It reads from the Model rather than containing data itself, so changes to the Model's state are reflected in the display without the View owning that state.
- ✗
Model represents the user interface.
Why it's wrong here
The Model encapsulates data, state and business rules; the View renders the user interface. It tempts because the Model's data is what the View displays, so the two appear interchangeable, but presentation logic belongs solely to the View and the Controller.
- ✗
View directly modifies the Model.
Why it's wrong here
The View only renders data and forwards user input to the Controller, which then updates the Model; the View never writes to it directly. It tempts because UI actions do ultimately change data, but that mutation travels through the Controller, preserving separation of concerns.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 975 original 200-901 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Cisco exam blueprint
This 200-901 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco 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 200-901 exam.