CompTIA Data+ (DA0-002)Data Concepts and EnvironmentsEasy
A data scientist receives a dataset in a file format that uses a human-readable, plain-text structure where data items are separated by commas and each line represents a new record. The first line contains the column headers. What file format is being described?
- AYAML
- BCSV
- CXML
- DJSON
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. CSV
The description of data items separated by commas and each line being a new record, with the first line as headers, is the defining characteristic of a Comma Separated Values (CSV) file.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. YAML uses indentation and colons for key-value pairs, not comma-separated values directly on lines.
- C. XML uses tags to define data elements and their hierarchy, not plain comma-separated values on lines.
- D. JSON uses curly braces and square brackets for object and array structures, not comma-separated lines.
CSV (Comma Separated Values)
A plain-text file format that stores tabular data in rows and columns, where each column value is separated by a comma.
- Human-readable and simple to parse.
- Often used for exchanging data between different applications.
- Each line typically represents a data record, and values within a record are separated by a delimiter (usually a comma).
Memory trick: Think of file formats as different ways to package information, like a letter (CSV), a gift box (JSON), or a scroll (XML).