hardMultiple Choice
PL-900 Practice Question: A financial analyst creates a Power BI report to…
A financial analyst creates a Power BI report to compare quarterly revenue across years. The data has a 'Date' column and a 'Revenue' column. The analyst wants to display year-over-year growth for each quarter. Which visual and configuration would best achieve this?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often choose a chart option (like a line chart with trend lines) thinking it visually shows growth, but the question specifically asks for displaying year-over-year growth for each quarter, which requires a tabular or matrix format to show exact percentage changes per quarter across years.
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
✓
Matrix visual with years as columns, quarters as rows, and a measure for YoY growth
A Matrix visual allows you to place years as columns and quarters as rows, then define a DAX measure for year-over-year (YoY) growth (e.g., (Current Year Revenue - Previous Year Revenue) / Previous Year Revenue). This directly compares each quarter’s revenue across years in a structured, tabular format, which is the most effective way to display YoY growth for each quarter.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Line chart with date hierarchy and revenue, adding year-over-year trend line
Why it's wrong here
A line chart plots revenue over the date hierarchy as a continuous trend; it cannot compute year-over-year growth per quarter without a DAX measure comparing periods. It tempts because trend lines look analytical, and line charts are correct for showing continuous change over time.
- ✓
Matrix visual with years as columns, quarters as rows, and a measure for YoY growth
Why this is correct
A matrix visual places years as columns and quarters as rows, creating the grid needed for period comparison, while a YoY growth measure calculates the change against the prior year. Together they display year-over-year growth per quarter as required.
- ✗
Stacked bar chart with quarters on axis and revenue as values, using year as legend
Why it's wrong here
A stacked bar chart sums revenue across years within each quarter, showing composition rather than the change between years. It tempts because year as legend appears comparative, and stacked bars are correct when showing how categories contribute to a quarterly total.
- ✗
Scatter plot with revenue on both axes and date as detail
Why it's wrong here
A scatter plot correlates two numeric measures, so placing revenue on both axes compares revenue against itself and ignores the quarterly year-over-year comparison. It tempts as a statistical-looking visual, and scatter plots are correct for showing correlation between two distinct measures.
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