DP-900 Describe core data concepts Practice Question
A company collects data from three sources: Source A: Customer records from a relational database with fixed columns (CustomerID, Name, Address). Source B: Social media posts in JSON format with varying fields (e.g., some posts have 'likes', others have 'shares'). Source C: Handwritten notes saved as scanned images in TIFF format. Which statement correctly categorizes the data by structure?
⚠ Common exam trap
Microsoft often tests the misconception that 'JSON is unstructured because it looks like text' or that 'scanned images are semi-structured because they have metadata,' but the DP-900 definition hinges on whether the data has a fixed schema (structured), flexible schema (semi-structured), or no schema (unstructured).
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
✓
Source A: Structured, Source B: Semi-structured, Source C: Unstructured
Source A's relational database with fixed columns (CustomerID, Name, Address) enforces a strict schema, making it structured data. Source B's JSON format allows varying fields like 'likes' or 'shares' per record, which is the hallmark of semi-structured data (self-describing, schema-on-read). Source C's scanned TIFF images are binary blobs with no inherent internal structure for querying, classifying them as unstructured data. This matches the standard DP-900 categorization: structured (fixed schema), semi-structured (flexible schema), unstructured (no schema).
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Source A: Structured, Source B: Semi-structured, Source C: Unstructured
Why this is correct
Customer records from a relational database are textbook structured data: fixed columns, enforced data types, primary keys, and SQL-based querying all depend on that rigid schema. JSON posts are semi-structured because each record is self-describing, containing named keys, arrays, and nested objects even though fields can vary between posts. Images of handwritten notes are unstructured—they consist of raw pixels with no inherent fields, keys, or tabular order. This option correctly labels all three sources, which is why it is the correct answer.
- ✗
Source A: Structured, Source B: Unstructured, Source C: Semi-structured
Why it's wrong here
This answer correctly identifies Source A as structured, but it reverses the categories for Sources B and C. JSON is not unstructured: it uses field names, arrays, and nested objects, which makes the data self-describing and semi-structured even when the schema is inconsistent. Image files are not semi-structured because they have no embedded field names or tag-based schema; the only hidden organization is the pixel grid, so they are best classified as unstructured. Because the latter two classifications are swapped, this option is wrong.
- ✗
Source A: Semi-structured, Source B: Structured, Source C: Unstructured
Why it's wrong here
Labeling Source A as semi-structured ignores the defining features of a relational table: every row contains the same set of columns, data types are enforced, and integrity constraints guarantee consistency—these are hallmarks of structured data. Calling Source B structured is also incorrect, because JSON documents are schema-flexible and an individual post may contain different subsets of properties, which is the signature of semi-structured data. Source C is correctly labeled unstructured, but the two swapped errors make the overall combination incorrect.
- ✗
Source A: Semi-structured, Source B: Unstructured, Source C: Structured
Why it's wrong here
This option misclassifies all three sources. Source A cannot be semi-structured: a relational table's fixed schema, identical rows, and enforced column types represent structured data, not schema-flexible data. Source B is not unstructured; JSON blog posts still have named keys and nested values, so they are semi-structured, even though they lack a formal tabular schema. Source C is not structured, because handwritten note images have no inherent rows, columns, or queryable attributes—the visual content is unstructured. These systemic errors make the entire classification invalid.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Data Roles and Core Concepts
Key term
Structured data
Structured data is information that is organized in a predefined format, typically in rows and columns, making it easy to search, process, and analyze by computers.
Key term
Relational database
A relational database organizes data into tables with rows and columns, where each table relates to others using unique keys, allowing efficient storage, retrieval, and manipulation of structured information.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
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