The answer is to find the top 5 most common event types in Texas. This is correct because the KQL query first uses the `where` operator to filter the dataset to only rows where `State == 'TEXAS'`, then applies the `summarize` operator with `count()` to tally events per `EventType`, and finally uses `top 5 by count_` to return the five event types with the highest counts. On the Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals DP-900 exam, this question tests your ability to read a KQL query and understand the logical flow of filtering, aggregating, and ranking—a common scenario for Azure Data Explorer KQL query to find top event types using summarize and top. A frequent trap is confusing `top` with `sort` or forgetting that `summarize` must come before `top` to aggregate counts. Memory tip: think "Where → Summarize → Top" as the "WST" pipeline for ranked aggregations.
DP-900 Describe an analytics workload on Azure Practice Question
This DP-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe an analytics workload on azure. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
Query:
// KQL query executed in Azure Data Explorer
StormEvents
| where State == "TEXAS"
| summarize Count = count() by EventType
| top 5 by Count
Refer to the exhibit. An analyst runs this Kusto Query Language (KQL) query in Azure Data Explorer. What is the primary purpose of this query?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "primary"
Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
Refer to the exhibit.
Query:
// KQL query executed in Azure Data Explorer
StormEvents
| where State == "TEXAS"
| summarize Count = count() by EventType
| top 5 by Count
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Find the top 5 most common event types in Texas
The query uses the `summarize` operator with `count()` to count events per `EventType`, then `top 5 by count_` to return the five event types with the highest counts, filtered to only rows where `State == 'TEXAS'`. This directly finds the top 5 most common event types in Texas.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Find the top 5 most common event types in Texas
Why this is correct
Correctly identifies the purpose.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Calculate total damage in Texas
Why it's wrong here
No damage calculations.
✗
Identify events with the highest damage
Why it's wrong here
No damage filter.
✗
List all storm events in Texas
Why it's wrong here
It summarizes counts, not lists.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Microsoft often tests the distinction between counting occurrences (using `count()` with `summarize`) versus summing numeric values (using `sum()`), leading candidates to confuse 'most common' with 'highest damage'.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The `top` operator in KQL is syntactic sugar for `order by` with `take`, but it also allows specifying multiple columns and a partition-by clause. Under the hood, Azure Data Explorer uses a distributed query engine that pushes the `top` logic down to each shard, then merges results, making it efficient for large datasets. A real-world scenario is monitoring weather alerts: quickly identifying the most frequent event types in a region helps prioritize response resources.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this DP-900 question in full detail.
Describe an analytics workload on Azure — This question tests Describe an analytics workload on Azure — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Find the top 5 most common event types in Texas — The query uses the `summarize` operator with `count()` to count events per `EventType`, then `top 5 by count_` to return the five event types with the highest counts, filtered to only rows where `State == 'TEXAS'`. This directly finds the top 5 most common event types in Texas.
What should I do if I get this DP-900 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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