Exam format

CompTIA Data+: DAO-001 was launched on February 28, 2022. You have 90 minutes to answer 90 questions. Most of the questions will be multiple choice, but there will be some performance-based questions, in which you will be presented with an example of something you would encounter on the job and you must make appropriate decisions based on it. Scoring is on a scale of 100 to 900, with 675 being considered a passing score. For the most up-to-date information on the exam, you can check out the exam website at https://www.comptia.org/certifications/data. The testing provider is Pearson VUE, and you can take the test online or at one of their approved testing centers. The following table breaks down roughly how many questions will fall into each domain:

Table 1.1 – Percentage breakdown of each domain

Who should take the exam?

The test is aimed at those early in their data analytics career – specifically, those who have been working in a data analytics position for 1.5 to 2 years. This is not a requirement but a suggestion, because people with less experience than this may not have encountered all the concepts covered by the exam. At the end of the day, anyone who is eager to get further in the exciting field of data science should take this exam. Rest assured that even if you don’t have personal experience with any of the concepts on the exam, they are covered here in this book!