- A
Switch to flat-rate pricing to cap slot usage.
Why wrong: Flat-rate pricing provides predictable costs but does not inherently optimize query costs; it may actually increase costs if not fully utilized.
- B
Use materialized views for frequently executed aggregations.
Materialized views automatically refresh and are used by the query optimizer to speed up queries and reduce scanned bytes.
- C
Partition tables by a date or timestamp column.
Partitioning allows queries to prune partitions, scanning fewer bytes and reducing costs.
- D
Limit the number of concurrent queries by setting a maximum slot capacity.
Why wrong: Limiting slots may cause queries to run slower or fail, but does not reduce bytes scanned. It is not a cost optimization.
- E
Cluster tables on columns that are frequently used in filters and joins.
Clustering improves the efficiency of queries by reducing the amount of data scanned when filtering on cluster columns.
PDE Maintaining and Automating Data Workloads Practice Question
This PDE practice question tests your understanding of maintaining and automating data workloads. 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 company is migrating their on-premises data warehouse to BigQuery. They have a mix of batch and streaming ingestion. The data team wants to optimize query costs. Which THREE practices should they adopt?
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
Use materialized views for frequently executed aggregations.
Partitioning by date reduces bytes scanned. Using clustered tables improves performance for filter/join queries. Using materialized views can precompute aggregations and reduce scans. Flat-rate pricing is about reservation management, not cost optimization per query. Limiting slots is not a cost optimization; it may cause throttling.
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.
- ✗
Switch to flat-rate pricing to cap slot usage.
Why it's wrong here
Flat-rate pricing provides predictable costs but does not inherently optimize query costs; it may actually increase costs if not fully utilized.
- ✓
Use materialized views for frequently executed aggregations.
Why this is correct
Materialized views automatically refresh and are used by the query optimizer to speed up queries and reduce scanned bytes.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Partition tables by a date or timestamp column.
Why this is correct
Partitioning allows queries to prune partitions, scanning fewer bytes and reducing costs.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Limit the number of concurrent queries by setting a maximum slot capacity.
Why it's wrong here
Limiting slots may cause queries to run slower or fail, but does not reduce bytes scanned. It is not a cost optimization.
- ✓
Cluster tables on columns that are frequently used in filters and joins.
Why this is correct
Clustering improves the efficiency of queries by reducing the amount of data scanned when filtering on cluster columns.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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 PDE 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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Maintaining and Automating Data Workloads — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PDE question test?
Maintaining and Automating Data Workloads — This question tests Maintaining and Automating Data Workloads — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use materialized views for frequently executed aggregations. — Partitioning by date reduces bytes scanned. Using clustered tables improves performance for filter/join queries. Using materialized views can precompute aggregations and reduce scans. Flat-rate pricing is about reservation management, not cost optimization per query. Limiting slots is not a cost optimization; it may cause throttling.
What should I do if I get this PDE question wrong?
Identify which PDE 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 →
Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This PDE 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 PDE exam.
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