You have a managed table based on a folder that contains data files in delta format. If you drop the table, what happens?

• A. The table metadata and data files are deleted.
• B. The table definition is removed from the metastore, but the data files remain intact.
• C. The table definition remains in the metastore, but the data files are deleted.
• D. The data files are backed up to an archive location.

Answer: (A)

In a managed table, the system controls both the table metadata and the actual data files stored in the table’s location. When you drop the table, the metadata is removed from the metastore and the data files that belong to that table are deleted from storage. Since the Delta format data lives in that table folder, dropping the table cleans up both the definition and the data, leaving no files behind. This is different from external tables, where dropping the table removes only the metadata and leaves the underlying data intact. Archiving or backing up the data does not occur automatically.