CKA Pod Pending State Practice Question
A pod is stuck in 'Pending' state. Which THREE are common causes for this?
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
✓
Insufficient CPU or memory resources on any node
A pod stuck in 'Pending' state means it has not been scheduled to a node yet, or it cannot start due to missing dependencies. The three most common causes are: insufficient CPU/memory resources on any node (C) because the scheduler cannot find a node that satisfies the pod's resource requests; node taints that the pod does not tolerate (D) which prevent scheduling; and an unbound PersistentVolumeClaim (E) that the pod requires before it can start. Option A is incorrect because a node not registered would not normally lead to a pod being pending—it would simply not be considered for scheduling. Option B is incorrect because an incorrect container image name results in an ImagePullBackOff error, not a pending state.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Node not registered with the cluster
Why it's wrong here
Would cause Node NotReady, not pod Pending.
- ✗
Container image name is incorrect
Why it's wrong here
Typically causes ImagePullBackOff, not Pending.
- ✓
Insufficient CPU or memory resources on any node
Why this is correct
If no node has enough resources, the pod stays Pending.
- ✓
Node taints that the pod does not tolerate
Why this is correct
Taints must be tolerated for scheduling.
- ✓
PersistentVolumeClaim not bound to a volume
Why this is correct
Unbound PVC causes pod to remain Pending.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Configuring Scheduling and Affinity
Key term
Storage Classes
A Storage Class in Kubernetes is a template that defines how persistent storage is provisioned automatically, including the type of storage, performance characteristics, and provisioning policies.
Key term
Pod Failure Troubleshooting
Pod failure troubleshooting is the process of identifying and resolving issues that cause Kubernetes pods to crash, restart, or become unavailable.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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