Page 1 of 157
ISDS 505 Midterm Study Guide Latest
2026 Questions and Answers (100%
Accuracy)
Q1. What is the primary goal of descriptive analytics?
A) Predict future outcomes
B) Summarize historical data
C) Recommend actions
D) Test hypotheses
Answer: B
Rationale: Descriptive analytics focuses on summarizing
past data to understand what happened.
,Page 2 of 157
Q2. Which type of analytics would determine why sales
dropped last quarter?
A) Descriptive
B) Diagnostic
C) Predictive
D) Prescriptive
Answer: B
Rationale: Diagnostic analytics explains reasons behind
past outcomes.
Q3. True/False: Prescriptive analytics uses optimization
and simulation.
Answer: True
Rationale: Prescriptive analytics recommends actions
using techniques like linear programming and simulation.
,Page 3 of 157
Q4. Which data type is temperature in Celsius?
A) Nominal
B) Ordinal
C) Interval
D) Ratio
Answer: C
Rationale: Interval scale has order and equal intervals but
no true zero (0°C ≠ absence of temperature).
Q5. A dataset contains customer IDs. This is an example
of:
A) Ratio
B) Interval
C) Ordinal
D) Nominal
Answer: D
Rationale: Nominal data are categories without order.
, Page 4 of 157
Q6. What does ETL stand for in data analytics?
A) Extract, Transform, Load
B) Evaluate, Translate, Link
C) Edit, Tag, Label
D) Encode, Transfer, List
Answer: A
Rationale: ETL is the standard process for moving data
from sources to a data warehouse.
Q7. Which of the following is structured data?
A) A JPEG image
B) An Excel spreadsheet with rows and columns
C) An email body text
D) A video file
ISDS 505 Midterm Study Guide Latest
2026 Questions and Answers (100%
Accuracy)
Q1. What is the primary goal of descriptive analytics?
A) Predict future outcomes
B) Summarize historical data
C) Recommend actions
D) Test hypotheses
Answer: B
Rationale: Descriptive analytics focuses on summarizing
past data to understand what happened.
,Page 2 of 157
Q2. Which type of analytics would determine why sales
dropped last quarter?
A) Descriptive
B) Diagnostic
C) Predictive
D) Prescriptive
Answer: B
Rationale: Diagnostic analytics explains reasons behind
past outcomes.
Q3. True/False: Prescriptive analytics uses optimization
and simulation.
Answer: True
Rationale: Prescriptive analytics recommends actions
using techniques like linear programming and simulation.
,Page 3 of 157
Q4. Which data type is temperature in Celsius?
A) Nominal
B) Ordinal
C) Interval
D) Ratio
Answer: C
Rationale: Interval scale has order and equal intervals but
no true zero (0°C ≠ absence of temperature).
Q5. A dataset contains customer IDs. This is an example
of:
A) Ratio
B) Interval
C) Ordinal
D) Nominal
Answer: D
Rationale: Nominal data are categories without order.
, Page 4 of 157
Q6. What does ETL stand for in data analytics?
A) Extract, Transform, Load
B) Evaluate, Translate, Link
C) Edit, Tag, Label
D) Encode, Transfer, List
Answer: A
Rationale: ETL is the standard process for moving data
from sources to a data warehouse.
Q7. Which of the following is structured data?
A) A JPEG image
B) An Excel spreadsheet with rows and columns
C) An email body text
D) A video file
