DP-900 Describe core data concepts Practice Question
A healthcare organization stores patient medical records in a relational database with columns such as PatientID, Name, and DateOfBirth. They also store radiology images as DICOM files in Azure Blob Storage. Which statement correctly classifies these data types?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is conflating 'semi-structured' with 'structured' or 'unstructured'—candidates often misclassify relational database records as semi-structured because they have multiple columns, but the key is the rigid schema enforced by the relational model.
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
✓
Patient records are structured, and radiology images are unstructured.
Patient records in a relational database with fixed columns like PatientID, Name, and DateOfBirth adhere to a predefined schema, making them structured data. Radiology images stored as DICOM files in Azure Blob Storage have no internal schema or tabular format and are therefore unstructured data. Option C correctly matches these classifications.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Both patient records and radiology images are structured data.
Why it's wrong here
While patient records in a relational table fit the structured definition—each record has the same set of columns and typed values—radiology images are fundamentally different. A DICOM image file consists primarily of encoded pixel data (binary) plus a small header; it cannot be decomposed into rows and columns, and no SQL query can search inside the image content. Therefore, the claim that both are structured conflates queryable tabular data with opaque binary image files.
When this WOULD be correct
This option would be correct if the question described patient records as JSON or XML files (semi-structured) and radiology images as structured data (e.g., a table of image metadata).
- ✗
Patient records are semi-structured, and radiology images are unstructured.
Why it's wrong here
Patient records are not semi-structured because semi-structured data, like JSON or XML, offers flexible schema where fields can vary from record to record; relational table data has a rigid, pre-defined schema with fixed columns and constraints, so it is structured. The second half—that radiology images are unstructured—is correct, since pixel intensity arrays are stored as binary blobs without a meaningful schema. Because the statement incorrectly labels the structured patient data, the overall option is wrong.
When this WOULD be correct
This option would be correct if patient records were stored as JSON or XML files (semi-structured) and radiology images were stored as unstructured files (e.g., in a data lake).
- ✓
Patient records are structured, and radiology images are unstructured.
Why this is correct
In a relational database, patient records are assigned to tables with predefined columns and data types, such as integer IDs, VARCHAR names, and DATE fields, making them structured data that can be queried with SQL. Radiology images, by contrast, are stored as DICOM binary files containing raw pixel data; they lack a schema and cannot be queried directly, so they are unstructured. This distinction drives storage choices, such as using SQL for records and BLOB/object storage for images.
- ✗
Patient records are unstructured, and radiology images are semi-structured.
Why it's wrong here
Patient records are not unstructured because the database imposes a strict, fixed schema of rows, columns, and data types; unstructured data would be free-form text, images, or audio that lacks this rigid organization. Radiology images are not semi-structured either: although DICOM files include header metadata tags, the bulk of the data is opaque binary pixel information with no queryable schema, placing it in the unstructured category. Thus, assigning the records to unstructured and images to semi-structured gets both categories wrong.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question described patient records stored as free-text notes in a NoSQL database (e.g., MongoDB) and radiology images stored with metadata tags in a format like JSON, then patient records would be unstructured and radiology images 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.
✓Patient records are structured, and radiology images are unstructured.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
In a relational database, patient records are assigned to tables with predefined columns and data types, such as integer IDs, VARCHAR names, and DATE fields, making them structured data that can be queried with SQL. Radiology images, by contrast, are stored as DICOM binary files containing raw pixel data; they lack a schema and cannot be queried directly, so they are unstructured. This distinction drives storage choices, such as using SQL for records and BLOB/object storage for images.
✗Both patient records and radiology images are structured data.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Patient records in a relational database with defined columns like PatientID, Name, and DateOfBirth are structured data, not semi-structured. Radiology images as DICOM files in Blob Storage are unstructured, not structured.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This option would be correct if the question described patient records as JSON or XML files (semi-structured) and radiology images as structured data (e.g., a table of image metadata).
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may mistakenly think all healthcare data is structured because it's organized, or confuse 'structured' with 'organized data', not realizing that images lack a predefined schema.
✗Patient records are semi-structured, and radiology images are unstructured.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Patient records in a relational database with fixed columns like PatientID, Name, and DateOfBirth are structured data, not semi-structured. Radiology images as DICOM files are binary files without a predefined schema, making them unstructured.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This option would be correct if patient records were stored as JSON or XML files (semi-structured) and radiology images were stored as unstructured files (e.g., in a data lake).
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse 'semi-structured' with structured data that has some flexibility, or they might think medical records with varying fields are semi-structured, but in a relational database they are strictly structured.
✗Patient records are unstructured, and radiology images are semi-structured.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Patient records in a relational database with fixed columns are structured data, not unstructured. Radiology images as DICOM files are binary files without a predefined schema, making them unstructured, not semi-structured.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question described patient records stored as free-text notes in a NoSQL database (e.g., MongoDB) and radiology images stored with metadata tags in a format like JSON, then patient records would be unstructured and radiology images semi-structured.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse 'unstructured' with 'non-tabular' and incorrectly assume that any data not in a simple table is unstructured, or they may think DICOM files have some structure (metadata) making them semi-structured.
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?”
Quick reference
Azure Blob Storage Tier Comparison
| Tier | Storage Cost | Retrieval Cost | Latency | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hot | Highest | Lowest | Immediate | Active data, frequent reads |
| Cool | Lower | Higher | Immediate | Data accessed < once / month |
| Cold | Lower still | Higher | Immediate | Data accessed < once / quarter |
| Archive | Lowest | Highest + rehydration delay | Hours | Long-term compliance retention |
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Data Roles and Core Concepts
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.
Key term
Data
Data is raw, unprocessed information, like numbers, words, or measurements, that can be stored, processed, and analyzed by computers.
About these practice questions
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Same concept, more angles
3 more ways this is tested on DP-900
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A healthcare organization stores patient records in a relational database table with fixed columns for PatientID, Name, and DateOfBirth. Additionally, they store clinical notes as free-form text files for each patient visit. Which statement correctly classifies these data types?
easy- A.Both patient records and clinical notes are examples of unstructured data.
- ✓ B.Patient records are structured data, and clinical notes are unstructured data.
- C.Both patient records and clinical notes are examples of structured data.
- D.Patient records are unstructured data, and clinical notes are semi-structured data.
Why B: Patient records stored in a relational database table with fixed columns (PatientID, Name, DateOfBirth) conform to a predefined schema, making them structured data. Clinical notes stored as free-form text files lack a fixed schema or organization, which classifies them as unstructured data. Option B correctly identifies this distinction.
Variation 2. A hospital stores patient records. Each record includes a PatientID (integer), Name (text), DateOfBirth (date), and MRI scan images (binary files). Which classification best describes the MRI scan images?
easy- A.Structured data
- B.Semi-structured data
- ✓ C.Unstructured data
- D.Streaming data
Why C: MRI scan images are binary files that lack a predefined data model or schema, making them unstructured data. Unlike structured data (e.g., rows in a SQL table) or semi-structured data (e.g., JSON with tags), binary image files cannot be easily queried or organized using traditional relational database tools without additional processing.
Variation 3. A hospital system stores patient medical records. Each record includes structured data like patient ID, name, date of birth, and also includes unstructured data like doctor's notes and X-ray images. Which type of data is the doctor's notes?
easy- A.A. Structured data
- B.B. Semi-structured data
- ✓ C.C. Unstructured data
- D.D. Relational data
Why C: Doctor's notes are unstructured data because they consist of free-form text that does not follow a predefined data model or schema. Unlike structured data (e.g., patient ID, name) which fits neatly into rows and columns, doctor's notes lack a fixed format and cannot be easily queried using traditional relational database tools without additional processing.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This DP-900 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft 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 DP-900 exam.