Modeling interview questions

36 real Modeling questions from the Data Engineering bank, as asked in Indian campus drives and tech interviews. Every question has a verified answer and an AI-tutor explanation on placd — free to start.

1. What is star schema?

Junior
  1. A.one central fact table joined to denormalized dimension tables
  2. B.a system-generated key that lets multiple historical versions of a business key coexist
  3. C.a table of numeric measures at a defined grain with FKs to dimensions
  4. D.a star whose dimensions are further normalized into sub-dimensions
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3. Which statement is correct?

Junior
  1. A.star schema — one central fact table joined to denormalized dimension tables
  2. B.star schema — overwrites the old value, keeping no history
  3. C.star schema — preserves history with new rows plus effective/end dates and a current flag
  4. D.star schema — Kimball is bottom-up dimensional; Inmon is top-down 3NF enterprise modeling
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4. What is snowflake schema?

Junior
  1. A.preserves history with new rows plus effective/end dates and a current flag
  2. B.a table of numeric measures at a defined grain with FKs to dimensions
  3. C.a star whose dimensions are further normalized into sub-dimensions
  4. D.Kimball is bottom-up dimensional; Inmon is top-down 3NF enterprise modeling
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6. Which statement is correct?

Junior
  1. A.snowflake schema — a system-generated key that lets multiple historical versions of a business key coexist
  2. B.snowflake schema — the level of detail represented by one fact-table row
  3. C.snowflake schema — a measure summable across some dimensions but not time (e.g. account balance)
  4. D.snowflake schema — a star whose dimensions are further normalized into sub-dimensions
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7. What is fact table?

Junior
  1. A.a star whose dimensions are further normalized into sub-dimensions
  2. B.the level of detail represented by one fact-table row
  3. C.preserves history with new rows plus effective/end dates and a current flag
  4. D.a table of numeric measures at a defined grain with FKs to dimensions
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9. Which statement is correct?

Junior
  1. A.fact table — a system-generated key that lets multiple historical versions of a business key coexist
  2. B.fact table — a table of numeric measures at a defined grain with FKs to dimensions
  3. C.fact table — a table of descriptive attributes (who/what/where/when)
  4. D.fact table — overwrites the old value, keeping no history
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10. What is dimension table?

Junior
  1. A.one central fact table joined to denormalized dimension tables
  2. B.a system-generated key that lets multiple historical versions of a business key coexist
  3. C.the level of detail represented by one fact-table row
  4. D.a table of descriptive attributes (who/what/where/when)
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12. Which statement is correct?

Junior
  1. A.dimension table — Kimball is bottom-up dimensional; Inmon is top-down 3NF enterprise modeling
  2. B.dimension table — a measure summable across all dimensions (e.g. revenue)
  3. C.dimension table — a table of numeric measures at a defined grain with FKs to dimensions
  4. D.dimension table — a table of descriptive attributes (who/what/where/when)
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13. What is grain?

Junior
  1. A.a star whose dimensions are further normalized into sub-dimensions
  2. B.a table of descriptive attributes (who/what/where/when)
  3. C.Kimball is bottom-up dimensional; Inmon is top-down 3NF enterprise modeling
  4. D.the level of detail represented by one fact-table row
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15. Which statement is correct?

Junior
  1. A.grain — overwrites the old value, keeping no history
  2. B.grain — a table of numeric measures at a defined grain with FKs to dimensions
  3. C.grain — the level of detail represented by one fact-table row
  4. D.grain — a system-generated key that lets multiple historical versions of a business key coexist
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16. What is SCD Type 1?

Mid
  1. A.overwrites the old value, keeping no history
  2. B.a star whose dimensions are further normalized into sub-dimensions
  3. C.a table of descriptive attributes (who/what/where/when)
  4. D.a system-generated key that lets multiple historical versions of a business key coexist
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18. Which statement is correct?

Mid
  1. A.SCD Type 1 — a table of descriptive attributes (who/what/where/when)
  2. B.SCD Type 1 — overwrites the old value, keeping no history
  3. C.SCD Type 1 — a measure summable across some dimensions but not time (e.g. account balance)
  4. D.SCD Type 1 — preserves history with new rows plus effective/end dates and a current flag
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19. What is SCD Type 2?

Mid
  1. A.a star whose dimensions are further normalized into sub-dimensions
  2. B.a system-generated key that lets multiple historical versions of a business key coexist
  3. C.preserves history with new rows plus effective/end dates and a current flag
  4. D.a measure summable across some dimensions but not time (e.g. account balance)
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21. Which statement is correct?

Mid
  1. A.SCD Type 2 — a measure summable across some dimensions but not time (e.g. account balance)
  2. B.SCD Type 2 — overwrites the old value, keeping no history
  3. C.SCD Type 2 — a star whose dimensions are further normalized into sub-dimensions
  4. D.SCD Type 2 — preserves history with new rows plus effective/end dates and a current flag
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22. What is SCD Type 3?

Mid
  1. A.a table of descriptive attributes (who/what/where/when)
  2. B.keeps limited history in extra columns (e.g. previous_value)
  3. C.a star whose dimensions are further normalized into sub-dimensions
  4. D.a system-generated key that lets multiple historical versions of a business key coexist
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24. Which statement is correct?

Mid
  1. A.SCD Type 3 — keeps limited history in extra columns (e.g. previous_value)
  2. B.SCD Type 3 — a system-generated key that lets multiple historical versions of a business key coexist
  3. C.SCD Type 3 — a measure summable across all dimensions (e.g. revenue)
  4. D.SCD Type 3 — a star whose dimensions are further normalized into sub-dimensions
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25. What is surrogate key?

Mid
  1. A.a system-generated key that lets multiple historical versions of a business key coexist
  2. B.a measure summable across all dimensions (e.g. revenue)
  3. C.a table of numeric measures at a defined grain with FKs to dimensions
  4. D.a table of descriptive attributes (who/what/where/when)
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27. Which statement is correct?

Mid
  1. A.surrogate key — Kimball is bottom-up dimensional; Inmon is top-down 3NF enterprise modeling
  2. B.surrogate key — a table of numeric measures at a defined grain with FKs to dimensions
  3. C.surrogate key — a system-generated key that lets multiple historical versions of a business key coexist
  4. D.surrogate key — the level of detail represented by one fact-table row
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28. What is Kimball vs Inmon?

Senior
  1. A.a measure summable across some dimensions but not time (e.g. account balance)
  2. B.overwrites the old value, keeping no history
  3. C.a measure summable across all dimensions (e.g. revenue)
  4. D.Kimball is bottom-up dimensional; Inmon is top-down 3NF enterprise modeling
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30. Which statement is correct?

Senior
  1. A.Kimball vs Inmon — a measure summable across all dimensions (e.g. revenue)
  2. B.Kimball vs Inmon — Kimball is bottom-up dimensional; Inmon is top-down 3NF enterprise modeling
  3. C.Kimball vs Inmon — preserves history with new rows plus effective/end dates and a current flag
  4. D.Kimball vs Inmon — a measure summable across some dimensions but not time (e.g. account balance)
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