PCDOE Managing Google Cloud costs Practice Question
This PCDOE practice question tests your understanding of managing google cloud costs. 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
The output of `gcloud compute instances list --format="table(name,zone,machineType,preemptible,status)"` shows:
```
NAME ZONE MACHINE_TYPE PREEMPTIBLE STATUS
instance-1 us-central1-a n1-standard-4 true RUNNING
instance-2 us-central1-b n1-standard-8 false RUNNING
instance-3 us-central1-a n1-standard-2 false TERMINATED
```
Refer to the exhibit. A DevOps engineer wants to reduce compute costs immediately. Which action is most effective?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "immediately / without restart"
Why it matters: Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
Exhibit
The output of `gcloud compute instances list --format="table(name,zone,machineType,preemptible,status)"` shows:
```
NAME ZONE MACHINE_TYPE PREEMPTIBLE STATUS
instance-1 us-central1-a n1-standard-4 true RUNNING
instance-2 us-central1-b n1-standard-8 false RUNNING
instance-3 us-central1-a n1-standard-2 false TERMINATED
```
A
Delete the terminated instance.
Why wrong: Terminated instances do not incur compute costs.
B
Rightsize instance-2 from n1-standard-8 to n1-standard-4.
Reducing the machine size saves cost.
C
Change instance-1 to a non-preemptible instance.
Why wrong: Changing to non-preemptible would increase cost.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Rightsize instance-2 from n1-standard-8 to n1-standard-4.
Rightsizing instance-2 from n1-standard-8 to n1-standard-4 reduces vCPUs from 8 to 4, directly lowering cost. The terminated instance incurs no cost, and the preemptible instance is already cost-effective. Zone changes do not affect cost.
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.
✗
Delete the terminated instance.
Why it's wrong here
Terminated instances do not incur compute costs.
✓
Rightsize instance-2 from n1-standard-8 to n1-standard-4.
Why this is correct
Reducing the machine size saves cost.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "immediately / without restart" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Change instance-1 to a non-preemptible instance.
Why it's wrong here
Changing to non-preemptible would increase cost.
✗
Move instance-1 to a different zone.
Why it's wrong here
Zone changes do not affect cost.
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 PCDOE 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.
Managing Google Cloud costs — This question tests Managing Google Cloud costs — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Rightsize instance-2 from n1-standard-8 to n1-standard-4. — Rightsizing instance-2 from n1-standard-8 to n1-standard-4 reduces vCPUs from 8 to 4, directly lowering cost. The terminated instance incurs no cost, and the preemptible instance is already cost-effective. Zone changes do not affect cost.
What should I do if I get this PCDOE question wrong?
Identify which PCDOE 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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "immediately / without restart". Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
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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