Question 257 of 982

Identify considerations for relational data on Azure →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The answer is to create a nonclustered composite index on (CategoryID, Price) with Price in descending order. This is correct because a composite index for filtering and sorting allows SQL Server to perform a single index seek on CategoryID and then retrieve rows already ordered by Price descending, completely eliminating a costly separate sort operation. On the Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals DP-900 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how index key order directly supports query operations—a common trap is choosing a clustered index or a single-column index, which would still require sorting. Remember that when a query filters on one column and sorts on another, a composite index covering both columns in the same order as the query’s WHERE and ORDER BY clauses is the most efficient strategy. A helpful memory tip: “Filter first, sort second—build your index in that direction.”

DP-900 Practice Question: Identify considerations for relational data on Azure

This DP-900 practice question tests your understanding of identify considerations for relational data 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.

A retail application uses Azure SQL Database. The Products table contains 200,000 rows with columns: ProductID (primary key, clustered), CategoryID, ProductName, Price, StockQuantity. Queries frequently filter on CategoryID and then sort results by Price in descending order. Which indexing strategy will most improve query performance for these operations?

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.

Question 1mediummultiple choice

Full question →

A
Create a clustered index on CategoryID.
Why wrong: Incorrect because changing the clustered index from ProductID would slow down lookups by primary key. Also, a clustered index on CategoryID would not directly provide sorted output by Price.
B
Create a nonclustered index on CategoryID that includes Price as an included column.
Why wrong: This index covers the filter but does not store Price in sorted order, so the database would still need to sort the results after retrieval.
C
Create a nonclustered index on (CategoryID, Price) with Price in descending order.
Correct. This composite index supports both the filter on CategoryID and the descending sort on Price without additional steps.
D
Create a clustered columnstore index on the table.
Why wrong: Incorrect because columnstore indexes are designed for large-scale analytical queries and data compression, not for efficient single-row lookups or sorted retrieval by a non-key column.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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

✓

Create a nonclustered index on (CategoryID, Price) with Price in descending order.

Option C creates a composite nonclustered index on (CategoryID, Price DESC) that directly supports both the filter (CategoryID equality) and the sort (Price descending) in a single index seek and ordered scan, eliminating the need for a separate sort operation. This is the most efficient strategy because the index is ordered exactly as the query requires, allowing SQL Server to retrieve matching rows in the correct order without additional processing.

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.

✗
Create a clustered index on CategoryID.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect because changing the clustered index from ProductID would slow down lookups by primary key. Also, a clustered index on CategoryID would not directly provide sorted output by Price.
✗
Create a nonclustered index on CategoryID that includes Price as an included column.
Why it's wrong here
This index covers the filter but does not store Price in sorted order, so the database would still need to sort the results after retrieval.
✓
Create a nonclustered index on (CategoryID, Price) with Price in descending order.
Why this is correct
Correct. This composite index supports both the filter on CategoryID and the descending sort on Price without additional steps.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Create a clustered columnstore index on the table.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect because columnstore indexes are designed for large-scale analytical queries and data compression, not for efficient single-row lookups or sorted retrieval by a non-key column.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

Microsoft often tests the misconception that including Price as an included column (Option B) is sufficient to optimize the sort, when in fact the index must be ordered by Price to avoid a separate sort operation.

Trap categories for this question

Command / output trap
Incorrect because changing the clustered index from ProductID would slow down lookups by primary key. Also, a clustered index on CategoryID would not directly provide sorted output by Price.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Under the hood, a composite index with a descending key order stores the B-tree leaf pages in reverse order, enabling an ordered scan that returns rows in descending Price without a sort. SQL Server's query optimizer recognizes this index as a covering index for both the WHERE and ORDER BY clauses, resulting in an Index Seek (nonclustered) operator with an ordered output, which is significantly faster than a Key Lookup or Sort. In real-world scenarios, this pattern is common for e-commerce catalog pages where users filter by category and sort by price, and the index can also support pagination queries using OFFSET/FETCH without additional overhead.

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.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this DP-900 question test?

Identify considerations for relational data on Azure — This question tests Identify considerations for relational data on Azure — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Create a nonclustered index on (CategoryID, Price) with Price in descending order. — Option C creates a composite nonclustered index on (CategoryID, Price DESC) that directly supports both the filter (CategoryID equality) and the sort (Price descending) in a single index seek and ordered scan, eliminating the need for a separate sort operation. This is the most efficient strategy because the index is ordered exactly as the query requires, allowing SQL Server to retrieve matching rows in the correct order without additional processing.

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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