DP-900 Describe core data concepts Practice Question

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

• ✗

  A: JSON documents, Relational table, JPEG files

  Why it's wrong here

  This option starts with JSON documents, but JSON is only semi-structured: each document can have varying fields, and the hierarchy is not formally constrained by a database schema. A relational table is more structured because it enforces a fixed set of columns, data types, and integrity rules, making its organization stricter than any JSON document. Since the question asks for descending structural rigidity, JSON cannot precede the relational table.

  When this WOULD be correct

  If the question asked to order from least to most structured, or if the relational table had a flexible schema (e.g., NoSQL), then JSON could be considered more structured than a table. For example: 'Which orders data types from least to most structured?'

• ✓

  B: Relational table, JSON documents, JPEG files

  Why this is correct

  The relational table is genuinely structured because its schema rigidly defines columns, data types, and constraints, enabling direct SQL querying. JSON documents are semi-structured: they contain key-value pairs and nesting but allow schema flexibility. JPEG files are completely unstructured binary data without a queryable internal model. Thus the order relational table → JSON documents → JPEG files correctly descends from most to least structured.

• ✗

  C: JPEG files, Relational table, JSON documents

  Why it's wrong here

  This order incorrectly places JPEG files first, but JPEG is a binary image format with no intrinsic data model for row/column or key-value operations—it is the least structured of the three. A relational table, by contrast, has a fixed, enforced schema and should occupy the leading position in a most-to-least structured ranking. Starting with JPEG completely inverts the hierarchy, making this option invalid.

  When this WOULD be correct

  If the question asked to order by storage size from largest to smallest, JPEG files (high resolution) might be largest, followed by relational table (with many rows), then JSON documents (small). Or if ordering by query performance, relational table might be fastest, then JPEG (no query), then JSON (requires parsing).

• ✗

  D: Relational table, JPEG files, JSON documents

  Why it's wrong here

  While this option correctly identifies the relational table as the most structured, it then erroneously places JPEG files before JSON documents. JSON documents, although not as rigid as a relational schema, still encode attributes as identifiable keys with values, giving them a semi-structured nature that is far more queryable than a JPEG's compressed pixel data. Therefore the proper order should place JSON second and JPEG last.

  When this WOULD be correct

  If the question asked to order by 'data size' or 'storage efficiency' rather than structure, or if JPEG files were described as having EXIF metadata (semi-structured) while JSON was purely unstructured, then D could be correct.

Option-by-option analysis

Why each answer is right or wrong

Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The DP-900 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.

Analysis generated from the official DP-900blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”

Go deeper

Related to this question