SPLK-1002 Advanced Searching and Statistics Practice Question
A search returns 50,000 events. The analyst wants to sample 1% evenly across time. Which sampling command should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates assume `sample` defaults to random sampling, but it actually defaults to `method=block`, so omitting the `method=random` parameter (as in option D) would not achieve the required even distribution across time.
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
✓
sample method=random ratio=0.01
The `sample` command with `method=random` and `ratio=0.01` performs a random sampling of exactly 1% of events, and when used without a `by` clause, it distributes the sampling evenly across time by default. This ensures a statistically representative subset of the 50,000 events, preserving temporal distribution.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
sample 0.01
Why it's wrong here
`sample` requires the `ratio=` argument; bare numbers are not accepted.
- ✓
sample method=random ratio=0.01
Why this is correct
This performs random sampling with a 1% ratio, distributing events evenly across time.
- ✗
sample method=block ratio=0.01
Why it's wrong here
Block sampling takes contiguous blocks of events, which does not ensure even distribution across time.
- ✗
sample ratio=0.01
Why it's wrong here
The `method` must be specified for random sampling; this defaults to `block`.
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