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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
CREATE TABLE employees (
employee_id INT PRIMARY KEY,
first_name VARCHAR(50),
last_name VARCHAR(50),
department_id INT,
hire_date DATE
);
INSERT INTO employees VALUES (1, 'John', 'Doe', 10, '2021-01-15');
INSERT INTO employees VALUES (2, 'Jane', 'Smith', 20, '2020-06-01');
INSERT INTO employees VALUES (3, 'Bob', 'Johnson', 10, '2022-03-22');
Refer to the exhibit. A database administrator executes the following query: SELECT COUNT(*) FROM employees WHERE department_id = 10; What is the result?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
2
The query `SELECT COUNT(*) FROM employees WHERE department_id = 10;` counts all rows in the `employees` table where the `department_id` column equals 10. According to the exhibit (not shown here but implied), there are exactly two employees in department 10, so the result is 2.
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.
✓
2
Why this is correct
Employees with department_id 10 are John Doe and Bob Johnson.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
3
Why it's wrong here
3 is the total number of employees, not just those in department 10.
✗
0
Why it's wrong here
There are employees with department_id 10.
✗
1
Why it's wrong here
Only one employee in department 10? Actually there are two.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the difference between `COUNT(*)`, `COUNT(column)`, and `COUNT(DISTINCT column)`, and the trap here is that candidates might miscount the rows in the exhibit or confuse the filter condition with a different department ID.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The `COUNT(*)` function counts all rows, including those with NULL values in any column, but here the `WHERE` clause filters rows based on `department_id = 10`. In SQL, `COUNT(*)` is optimized to return the number of rows in the result set without evaluating column values, making it efficient for row counting. A real-world scenario is generating department headcount reports where precise filtering is critical for payroll or resource allocation.
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: 2 — The query `SELECT COUNT(*) FROM employees WHERE department_id = 10;` counts all rows in the `employees` table where the `department_id` column equals 10. According to the exhibit (not shown here but implied), there are exactly two employees in department 10, so the result is 2.
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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