The correct answer is that the query returns all columns for employees in the Sales department. This is because SELECT * is a wildcard that retrieves every column from the specified table, while the WHERE clause with the condition Department = 'Sales' filters the rows to include only those where the Department column exactly matches the value 'Sales'. On the CompTIA ITF+ FC0-U61 exam, this question tests your understanding of how the SELECT * with WHERE clause interpretation works as a foundational SQL concept, often appearing in questions that distinguish between row filtering and column selection. A common trap is confusing the asterisk as selecting specific rows rather than all columns, so remember that * always means "all columns," and WHERE always restricts rows. A helpful memory tip: think of the asterisk as a star that shines on every column, while WHERE draws a circle around only the matching rows.
FC0-U61 Database Fundamentals Practice Question
This FC0-U61 practice question tests your understanding of database fundamentals. 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 developer writes a query: SELECT * FROM Employees WHERE Department = 'Sales'. Which statement about this query is true?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
It returns all columns for employees in Sales
The SELECT * clause retrieves all columns from the specified table, and the WHERE Department = 'Sales' filter restricts the result set to only those rows where the Department column has the value 'Sales'. Therefore, the query returns every column for employees in the Sales department, making option B correct.
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.
✗
It sorts results by Department
Why it's wrong here
There is no ORDER BY clause, so results are not sorted.
✓
It returns all columns for employees in Sales
Why this is correct
SELECT * returns all columns, and the WHERE clause filters for Sales department.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
It returns only the Department column
Why it's wrong here
SELECT * returns all columns, not just Department.
✗
It returns all rows from the Employees table
Why it's wrong here
The WHERE clause filters only rows where Department is 'Sales', so not all rows are returned.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse the SELECT clause with the WHERE clause, mistakenly thinking SELECT * returns all rows (option D) or only a specific column (option C), when in fact SELECT * returns all columns and WHERE filters rows.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The asterisk (*) in SELECT * is a wildcard that expands to all column names in the table at query parse time, based on the table's schema. The WHERE clause uses a comparison operator (=) to filter rows; in SQL, string comparisons are case-sensitive or case-insensitive depending on the database's collation settings (e.g., MySQL's default collation is case-insensitive for CHAR/VARCHAR). A real-world scenario: if the Employees table has 50 columns and millions of rows, SELECT * can cause unnecessary I/O and network overhead, so best practice is to list only needed columns.
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 practitioner preparing for the FC0-U61 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
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.
Database Fundamentals — This question tests Database Fundamentals — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: It returns all columns for employees in Sales — The SELECT * clause retrieves all columns from the specified table, and the WHERE Department = 'Sales' filter restricts the result set to only those rows where the Department column has the value 'Sales'. Therefore, the query returns every column for employees in the Sales department, making option B correct.
What should I do if I get this FC0-U61 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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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