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.
You are designing a Power BI data model for a sales analysis. The model includes a table named Sales with columns: OrderID, OrderDate, CustomerID, ProductID, Quantity, UnitPrice. You need to create a star schema. Which TWO tables should you create as dimension tables?
Why wrong: Calendar is a dimension but not listed in the tables; the question likely expects from the columns given, but Customer and Product are the obvious ones.
B
Product
Product is a dimension containing descriptive attributes about products.
C
Sales
Why wrong: Sales is the fact table, not a dimension.
D
Orders
Why wrong: Orders is not a separate table in the given schema; OrderID is in the Sales table.
E
Customer
Customer is a dimension containing descriptive attributes about customers.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Product
In a star schema, dimension tables contain descriptive attributes that provide context for the measures stored in the fact table. Product is a classic dimension because it holds product details (e.g., name, category) that describe the sales facts. Customer is also a dimension because it stores customer attributes (e.g., name, region) used for slicing and dicing sales data.
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.
✗
Calendar
Why it's wrong here
Calendar is a dimension but not listed in the tables; the question likely expects from the columns given, but Customer and Product are the obvious ones.
✓
Product
Why this is correct
Product is a dimension containing descriptive attributes about products.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Sales
Why it's wrong here
Sales is the fact table, not a dimension.
✗
Orders
Why it's wrong here
Orders is not a separate table in the given schema; OrderID is in the Sales table.
✓
Customer
Why this is correct
Customer is a dimension containing descriptive attributes about customers.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often mistake the Sales table (which contains both measures and foreign keys) as a dimension table, or they incorrectly think Orders should be a dimension instead of recognizing it as part of the fact table's grain.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In Power BI, star schema design optimizes query performance by separating numeric measures (in fact tables) from descriptive attributes (in dimension tables). The Sales table acts as the fact table with foreign keys (CustomerID, ProductID) and measures (Quantity, UnitPrice), while Product and Customer tables provide the 'slicing' attributes. This design leverages Power BI's VertiPaq engine to compress dimension tables efficiently and enable fast filter propagation via relationships.
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: Product — In a star schema, dimension tables contain descriptive attributes that provide context for the measures stored in the fact table. Product is a classic dimension because it holds product details (e.g., name, category) that describe the sales facts. Customer is also a dimension because it stores customer attributes (e.g., name, region) used for slicing and dicing sales data.
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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