DP-900 Describe core data concepts Practice Question
This DP-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe core data concepts. 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.
```sql
SELECT ProductID, SUM(SalesAmount) AS TotalSales
FROM Sales
WHERE OrderDate >= '2024-01-01'
GROUP BY ProductID
HAVING SUM(SalesAmount) > 10000
ORDER BY TotalSales DESC;
```
The exhibit shows a T-SQL query against an Azure SQL Database. What is the purpose of the HAVING clause in this query?
Refer to the exhibit.
```sql
SELECT ProductID, SUM(SalesAmount) AS TotalSales
FROM Sales
WHERE OrderDate >= '2024-01-01'
GROUP BY ProductID
HAVING SUM(SalesAmount) > 10000
ORDER BY TotalSales DESC;
```
A
To sort the result set by TotalSales descending
Why wrong: Sorting is done by ORDER BY.
B
To join two tables
Why wrong: JOIN is used for combining tables, not HAVING.
C
To filter groups after aggregation
HAVING filters groups based on aggregate conditions.
D
To filter rows before grouping
Why wrong: The WHERE clause does that, not HAVING.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
To filter groups after aggregation
The HAVING clause is used in T-SQL to filter groups after the GROUP BY clause has performed aggregation. In this query, it restricts the result set to only those product categories whose total sales (SUM(Amount)) exceed 1000, which is a condition on the aggregated value, not on individual rows.
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.
✗
To sort the result set by TotalSales descending
Why it's wrong here
Sorting is done by ORDER BY.
✗
To join two tables
Why it's wrong here
JOIN is used for combining tables, not HAVING.
✓
To filter groups after aggregation
Why this is correct
HAVING filters groups based on aggregate conditions.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
To filter rows before grouping
Why it's wrong here
The WHERE clause does that, not HAVING.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse HAVING with WHERE, mistakenly thinking HAVING filters individual rows before grouping, when in fact WHERE performs that role and HAVING only applies after aggregation.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, the SQL engine processes HAVING after the GROUP BY and aggregate functions have been computed, allowing conditions on aggregate results like SUM(), COUNT(), or AVG(). A subtle behavior is that HAVING can reference aggregate functions without including them in the SELECT list, but it cannot reference non-aggregated columns unless they appear in the GROUP BY clause. In real-world scenarios, HAVING is essential for generating reports that require filtering on metrics like total revenue per region exceeding a threshold.
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 core data concepts — This question tests Describe core data concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: To filter groups after aggregation — The HAVING clause is used in T-SQL to filter groups after the GROUP BY clause has performed aggregation. In this query, it restricts the result set to only those product categories whose total sales (SUM(Amount)) exceed 1000, which is a condition on the aggregated value, not on individual rows.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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