- A
Preemptible VM discount
Why wrong: Preemptible VMs are not suitable for 12-hour daily runs as they can be terminated.
- B
Sustained use discount
Sustained use discounts automatically apply for sustained usage over a month.
- C
Committed use discount
Why wrong: Committed use discounts require a 1- or 3-year commitment, not automatic.
- D
Free tier discount
Why wrong: Free tier provides limited resources, not applicable to this VM.
Question 886 of 1,000
Google ACE Planning and Configuring a Cloud Solution Practice Question
This ACE practice question tests your understanding of planning and configuring a cloud solution. 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 team is setting up a new project and wants to estimate the monthly cost of running a Compute Engine VM with 4 vCPUs, 16 GB memory, and a 100 GB persistent disk, using the Google Cloud Pricing Calculator. The VM will run for 12 hours every day for a month. Which discount type will automatically apply to reduce the cost based on usage?
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
✓
Sustained use discount
Sustained use discounts automatically apply for VMs that run for a significant portion of a month. Committed use discounts require a commitment. Preemptible discounts are for short-lived VMs. Free tier is limited.
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.
- ✗
Preemptible VM discount
Why it's wrong here
Preemptible VMs are not suitable for 12-hour daily runs as they can be terminated.
- ✓
Sustained use discount
Why this is correct
Sustained use discounts automatically apply for sustained usage over a month.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Committed use discount
Why it's wrong here
Committed use discounts require a 1- or 3-year commitment, not automatic.
- ✗
Free tier discount
Why it's wrong here
Free tier provides limited resources, not applicable to this VM.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which ACE exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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Planning and Configuring a Cloud Solution — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this ACE question test?
Planning and Configuring a Cloud Solution — This question tests Planning and Configuring a Cloud Solution — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Sustained use discount — Sustained use discounts automatically apply for VMs that run for a significant portion of a month. Committed use discounts require a commitment. Preemptible discounts are for short-lived VMs. Free tier is limited.
What should I do if I get this ACE question wrong?
Identify which ACE exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This ACE practice question is part of Courseiva's free Google Cloud 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 ACE exam.
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