DP-900 Describe core data concepts Practice Question
A retail company stores customer data in three formats: a relational database table with fixed columns for CustomerID, Name, and Email; customer feedback as JSON documents with varying fields such as rating and comment; and product images as JPEG files. Which of the following correctly classifies 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 images) has inherent structure, leading them to misorder the classification from most to least structured.
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
✓
Relational table, JSON documents, image files
Relational tables enforce a fixed schema with defined columns and data types, making them the most structured. JSON documents are semi-structured, allowing varying fields and flexible schemas, while image files are unstructured binary data with no inherent schema. This ordering from most to least structured aligns with the core data classification concept in the DP-900 exam.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
JSON documents, relational table, image files
Why it's wrong here
This order is incorrect because relational tables are more structured than JSON documents.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question asked to classify from least structured to most structured, then option A (JSON documents, relational table, image files) would be correct because image files are least structured, relational tables are most structured, and JSON falls in between.
- ✓
Relational table, JSON documents, image files
Why this is correct
Correct. Relational tables have a fixed schema (structured), JSON documents allow varying fields (semi-structured), and image files lack a predefined schema (unstructured).
- ✗
Image files, JSON documents, relational table
Why it's wrong here
This order reverses the classification; image files are the least structured, not the most.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question asked to classify data types from least structured to most structured, then option C (image files, JSON documents, relational table) would be correct.
- ✗
Relational table, image files, JSON documents
Why it's wrong here
Image files are less structured than JSON documents, so this order is incorrect.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question asked to classify data types from least structured to most structured, then the order would be image files (unstructured), JSON documents (semi-structured), relational table (structured), making D 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.
✓Relational table, JSON documents, image filesCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
Correct. Relational tables have a fixed schema (structured), JSON documents allow varying fields (semi-structured), and image files lack a predefined schema (unstructured).
✗JSON documents, relational table, image filesWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
JSON documents are semi-structured (varying fields), not more structured than a relational table with fixed columns. The order from most to least structured should be relational table (structured), JSON (semi-structured), image files (unstructured).
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question asked to classify from least structured to most structured, then option A (JSON documents, relational table, image files) would be correct because image files are least structured, relational tables are most structured, and JSON falls in between.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may mistakenly think JSON is more structured than relational tables because JSON has a defined syntax, but they overlook that relational tables enforce a fixed schema, making them more structured.
✗Image files, JSON documents, relational tableWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Image files are unstructured data, not more structured than JSON documents. The correct order from most to least structured is relational table (highly structured), JSON documents (semi-structured), image files (unstructured).
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question asked to classify data types from least structured to most structured, then option C (image files, JSON documents, relational table) would be correct.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may mistakenly think that because JSON documents have varying fields, they are less structured than image files, or they confuse the order of classification (e.g., reading the question as 'least to most structured').
✗Relational table, image files, JSON documentsWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Image files are unstructured data, not semi-structured like JSON. The order should be relational table (structured), JSON documents (semi-structured), image files (unstructured).
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question asked to classify data types from least structured to most structured, then the order would be image files (unstructured), JSON documents (semi-structured), relational table (structured), making D correct.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may mistakenly think that JSON documents are more structured than relational tables because they have a schema, or they may confuse the concept of 'structured' with 'complexity' or 'variability'.
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
Data classification
Data classification is the process of organizing data into categories based on its sensitivity, value, and criticality to an organization, so that appropriate security controls can be applied.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every DP-900 question from scratch — 820 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.