DP-900 Describe core data concepts Practice Question
A company stores customer records in a relational table with columns like CustomerID, Name, and Email. Product reviews are stored as JSON documents, and marketing images are stored as PNG files. Which of the following correctly orders these data types from most structured to least structured?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates confuse semi-structured JSON with unstructured data, or assume that any file format (like PNG) has inherent structure, leading them to misorder the data types by perceived complexity rather than schema rigidity.
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
✓
B. Customer records, Product reviews, Marketing images
Customer records in a relational table have a fixed schema with defined columns (e.g., CustomerID, Name, Email), making them the most structured. Product reviews stored as JSON documents are semi-structured because they have a flexible schema with key-value pairs but no fixed columns. Marketing images as PNG files are unstructured binary data with no inherent schema. Option B correctly orders these from most to least structured.
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. Product reviews, Customer records, Marketing images
Why it's wrong here
Although product reviews as JSON have key-value pairs and nested objects, they are semi-structured because fields can vary across documents, whereas customer records in a relational table enforce a fixed schema, data types, and integrity rules during schema-on-write. Thus, reviews cannot be considered more structured than customer records. The only valid sequence from most to least structured begins with the relational table, followed by JSON reviews, and ends with unstructured marketing images.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question asked to order from least structured to most structured, then product reviews (semi-structured) would come before customer records (structured), making A correct.
- ✓
B. Customer records, Product reviews, Marketing images
Why this is correct
Customer records in a relational table are strictly structured (fixed schema), product reviews as JSON are semi-structured (schema-on-read), and marketing images are unstructured (binary files). This is the correct order from most to least structured.
- ✗
C. Marketing images, Customer records, Product reviews
Why it's wrong here
This ordering is exactly reversed: marketing images are binary blobs without a fixed format, making them unstructured, the least rigid category in any data taxonomy. Relational customer records are the most structured, and product reviews as JSON are semi-structured. Placing images first implies a descending order of structure that does not exist, so the sequence must be customer records, then product reviews, then images.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question asked to order from least structured to most structured, then C (Marketing images, Customer records, Product reviews) would be correct because images are unstructured, customer records are structured, and product reviews are semi-structured.
- ✗
D. Customer records, Marketing images, Product reviews
Why it's wrong here
This option correctly opens with customer records, but it mistakenly assumes marketing images are more structured than JSON product reviews. Images are raw binary data with no inherent schema or field names, while JSON, even with schema-on-read flexibility, defines named attributes and parent-child relationships. Therefore, product reviews must come before marketing images in any most-to-least structured arrangement.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question asked to order from least to most structured, then D (Customer records, Marketing images, Product reviews) would be correct because relational tables are most structured, images are unstructured, and JSON is semi-structured.
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.
✓B. Customer records, Product reviews, Marketing imagesCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
Customer records in a relational table are strictly structured (fixed schema), product reviews as JSON are semi-structured (schema-on-read), and marketing images are unstructured (binary files). This is the correct order from most to least structured.
✗A. Product reviews, Customer records, Marketing imagesWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Product reviews as JSON documents are semi-structured, not more structured than relational customer records. The order should be from most structured (relational) to least structured (unstructured images), so customer records must come first.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question asked to order from least structured to most structured, then product reviews (semi-structured) would come before customer records (structured), making A correct.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think JSON is highly structured because it has a schema, but they overlook that relational tables enforce a stricter schema, and images are unstructured.
✗C. Marketing images, Customer records, Product reviewsWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Marketing images (unstructured binary files) are the least structured, not the most. Customer records (relational table) are most structured, followed by product reviews (semi-structured JSON), then images (unstructured).
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question asked to order from least structured to most structured, then C (Marketing images, Customer records, Product reviews) would be correct because images are unstructured, customer records are structured, and product reviews are semi-structured.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may mistakenly think that JSON documents are more structured than relational tables due to their schema flexibility, or they may misread the ordering direction.
✗D. Customer records, Marketing images, Product reviewsWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Marketing images (PNG) are unstructured binary data, not more structured than JSON product reviews. The correct order is relational (most structured) > JSON (semi-structured) > images (unstructured).
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question asked to order from least to most structured, then D (Customer records, Marketing images, Product reviews) would be correct because relational tables are most structured, images are unstructured, and JSON is semi-structured.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may mistakenly think images have some structure (e.g., file format) and place them before JSON, or they confuse the order of structured vs. unstructured.
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
Learn chapter
Data Roles and Core Concepts
Key term
Table
A table is a structured collection of data organized into rows and columns, used in databases and spreadsheets to store and manage information efficiently.
Key term
Schema
A schema is a blueprint or logical structure that defines how data is organized, stored, and accessed in a database or information system.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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