Test how well you can distinguish popular clustering algorithms. See if you know when to use centroid‑based versus tree‑based approaches.
K‑means clustering requires the analyst to pre‑specify ______.
the distance metric
a dendrogram
the number of clusters
the linkage method
Hierarchical clustering produces a ______ that visualizes cluster merges at each step.
dendrogram
elbow plot
heatmap
scree plot
Unlike agglomerative clustering, divisive hierarchical methods start with ______.
a fixed partition
random seed centroids
all data in one cluster
each point as its own cluster
The popular elbow method in K‑means examines variation explained versus ______.
iteration count
the number of clusters K
sample size
silhouette score
Ward’s method in hierarchical clustering minimises increases in ______ within clusters.
total squared error
Euclidean distance
average silhouette width
entropy
K‑means optimises ______ distance to the centroid.
Manhattan distance
cosine similarity
within‑cluster sum of squares
between‑cluster distance
K‑means struggles with clusters that are ______ shaped.
balanced
numeric
non‑spherical
small
Standardising variables before K‑means prevents dominance by ______.
noise points
missing values
categorical fields
large‑scale features
Hierarchical clustering can use complete, single, or ______ linkage definitions.
k‑median
average
centroid
random
Computational cost of agglomerative hierarchical clustering is roughly ______.
O(n)
O(n^3) time
O(n log n)
O(k n)
Starter
Good start—review k-means basics.
Solid
Strong grasp—polish a few finer points.
Expert!
You’ve mastered k-means segmentation.
Exploring K-Means vs. Hierarchical Interview Questions will help you decide which clustering method best uncovers customer segments. Start your journey with the Segmentation Targeting Positioning interview questions guide to see where clustering fits within strategic frameworks. Next, review the B2B segmentation bases interview questions, challenge yourself with the RFM segmentation MCQs, and advance your understanding through the AI-driven segmentation question set. Working through these interview questions will give you the confidence to discuss clustering approaches clearly in any marketing conversation.
