This PDE practice question tests your understanding of ensuring solution quality. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
BigQuery job error log:
{
"jobId": "job_12345",
"errorResult": {
"reason": "resourcesExceeded",
"message": "Resources exceeded during query execution: The query could not be executed in the allocated memory. High memory usage caused the query to fail."
},
"statistics": {
"query": {
"statementType": "SELECT",
"totalSlotMs": 12000000,
"totalBytesProcessed": 5000000000000
}
}
}
A data analyst runs a complex SQL query in BigQuery that joins multiple large tables and receives the above error. Which action is most likely to resolve the issue?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Refer to the exhibit.
BigQuery job error log:
{
"jobId": "job_12345",
"errorResult": {
"reason": "resourcesExceeded",
"message": "Resources exceeded during query execution: The query could not be executed in the allocated memory. High memory usage caused the query to fail."
},
"statistics": {
"query": {
"statementType": "SELECT",
"totalSlotMs": 12000000,
"totalBytesProcessed": 5000000000000
}
}
}
A
Use a larger number of workers in the query execution.
Why wrong: BigQuery does not expose worker count; it manages resources internally.
B
Use smaller tables by sampling data.
Why wrong: Sampling would reduce accuracy and may not be acceptable.
C
Add clustering on join columns.
Why wrong: Clustering can help but may not resolve memory exhaustion if the query is complex.
D
Increase the number of slots allocated to the project.
More slots provide more memory and CPU, reducing resource exceeded errors.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Increase the number of slots allocated to the project.
The error indicates that the query exceeded the available slot resources in the BigQuery project. Increasing the number of slots allocated to the project (option D) directly addresses this by providing more compute capacity for parallel query execution, which is the correct action to resolve resource exhaustion in BigQuery's serverless architecture.
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.
✗
Use a larger number of workers in the query execution.
Why it's wrong here
BigQuery does not expose worker count; it manages resources internally.
✗
Use smaller tables by sampling data.
Why it's wrong here
Sampling would reduce accuracy and may not be acceptable.
✗
Add clustering on join columns.
Why it's wrong here
Clustering can help but may not resolve memory exhaustion if the query is complex.
✓
Increase the number of slots allocated to the project.
Why this is correct
More slots provide more memory and CPU, reducing resource exceeded errors.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the misconception that performance tuning (e.g., clustering or sampling) can resolve resource exhaustion errors, when in fact the root cause is insufficient compute capacity that must be addressed by increasing slot allocation.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
BigQuery uses a distributed architecture where slots represent virtual CPUs for query execution; when a query requires more slots than the project's capacity, it fails with a 'Resources exceeded' error. Increasing slot allocation (e.g., through flat-rate pricing or flex slots) provides dedicated capacity, while options like clustering only optimize data layout and cannot compensate for a lack of compute resources. In real-world scenarios, this error often occurs during peak usage when multiple concurrent queries compete for the same pool of slots.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
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.
Ensuring solution quality — This question tests Ensuring solution quality — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Increase the number of slots allocated to the project. — The error indicates that the query exceeded the available slot resources in the BigQuery project. Increasing the number of slots allocated to the project (option D) directly addresses this by providing more compute capacity for parallel query execution, which is the correct action to resolve resource exhaustion in BigQuery's serverless architecture.
What should I do if I get this PDE question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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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