The correct answer is that the DAX expression returns total sales for the year of the latest date in the current filter context. This is because the expression uses CALCULATE to override the existing filter on the Date table, applying a new filter where the year of each date must equal the year extracted from the maximum date present in the current filter context via MAX and YEAR. On the Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst PL-300 exam, this pattern tests your understanding of how CALCULATE modifies filter context and how time intelligence functions like MAX and YEAR interact with the Date table. A common trap is assuming it returns the absolute maximum year in the entire Date table, but it actually respects whatever dates are currently filtered—so if you’re looking at 2020–2023, it returns sales for 2023, not all-time max. Memory tip: think “latest in context, not latest in table.”
PL-300 Model the data Practice Question
This PL-300 practice question tests your understanding of model the data. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
DAX expression:
```
CALCULATE(
SUM(Sales[Amount]),
FILTER(
ALL('Date'),
'Date'[Year] = MAX('Date'[Year])
)
)
```
You have the DAX expression shown. What does this expression return?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Total sales for the year of the latest date in the current filter context
The DAX expression uses CALCULATE to modify the filter context for 'Sales[Amount]' by applying a filter that selects only dates where the year equals the year of the latest date present in the current filter context. The MAX function returns the maximum date from the Date table within the current filter context, and YEAR extracts its year. This effectively returns total sales for the year containing the most recent date in the current filter context, not necessarily the previous year or the absolute maximum year in the Date table.
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.
✗
Total sales for the previous year
Why it's wrong here
No shift to previous year is applied.
✓
Total sales for the year of the latest date in the current filter context
Why this is correct
MAX('Date'[Year]) returns the maximum year in the current filter context.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Total sales for the maximum year in the Date table
Why it's wrong here
It uses MAX('Date'[Year]) within the current context, not overall max.
✗
Total sales for the current year
Why it's wrong here
It uses ALL to ignore current filters, so it's not the current year if filtered.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse 'maximum year in the Date table' (ignoring filter context) with 'year of the latest date in the current filter context', leading them to select Option C, or they mistakenly think the expression calculates the previous year (Option A) because they misread MAX as a time intelligence function.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, CALCULATE performs context transition and filter modification; here, the filter argument YEAR(Date[Date]) = YEAR(MAX(Date[Date])) is a dynamic filter that evaluates MAX(Date[Date]) in the original filter context before applying the year filter. This pattern is commonly used for 'latest year in selection' calculations, such as showing sales for the most recent year of data available in a report, which is especially useful when the dataset is not updated to the current year or when users filter to a specific date range.
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.
Model the data — This question tests Model the data — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Total sales for the year of the latest date in the current filter context — The DAX expression uses CALCULATE to modify the filter context for 'Sales[Amount]' by applying a filter that selects only dates where the year equals the year of the latest date present in the current filter context. The MAX function returns the maximum date from the Date table within the current filter context, and YEAR extracts its year. This effectively returns total sales for the year containing the most recent date in the current filter context, not necessarily the previous year or the absolute maximum year in the Date table.
What should I do if I get this PL-300 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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