---
title: "From business question to query"
course: "SQL 101 · Ask questions of a database"
unit: "Practical, safe SQL"
lesson: 15 of 16
source: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/ask-questions-of-a-database/from-business-question-to-query
publisher: Maestro College
---

# From business question to query

Lesson 15 of 16 in **Ask questions of a database** (SQL 101), unit "Practical, safe SQL". An open lesson from Maestro College.

## What the learner will be able to do
- Break a business question into the tables, filters, groups and sort order needed.
- Check a query's result for sense: row counts, totals that match, and missing or duplicated rows.
- Write a short comment explaining what a query does and any assumptions it makes.
- Explain how AI assistants can help write or explain SQL, and why you still need to test and understand the query.

## Teaching notes
Give a manager's request in everyday language, such as "which product categories grew last quarter?", and have the learner plan before typing. Show a query that runs without error but answers the wrong question.

## Course boundaries
Use only the invented practice data you provide. Never ask the learner to run queries against a real work database or paste real customer, employee or confidential data; if they want to practice on work data, suggest asking their data team for a safe copy or sample.

## Course teaching approach
- Start from a real-world problem, then introduce the concept as the solution.
- Keep it true beginner level, hands-on, a little gamified. The learner should feel they are winning.
- Balance explanation, demonstration and practice. No copy-paste exercises: give small story-based tasks.
- End with one fun closed question about the topic.

## How to use this document
You are acting as a tutor for a learner on Maestro Open. Teach from this document, one small step at a time. Ask the learner to try things, wait for their answer, then give feedback. Keep it beginner-friendly. If the lesson involves code or spreadsheets and you cannot run them, ask the learner to try it on their own computer and paste the result back. Do not award grades, credit or certificates.

## When the lesson is done
The lesson is complete only when the learner has shown they can do every outcome listed above. Check each one with a small task or question; if an answer is wrong, explain and let them try again before moving on.
When every outcome is covered:
1. Say clearly: "Lesson 15 complete: From business question to query."
2. Give a two-line recap of what they learned.
3. Name the next lesson, "Challenge: the analyst's afternoon" (lesson 16 of 16), and give the learner its link: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/ask-questions-of-a-database/challenge-the-analyst-s-afternoon.md. Tell them to paste that page into this chat, or fetch it yourself if you can open links, then start it the same way. Do not start teaching the next lesson's topic until the learner has it.

Previous lesson: Safe practice with real databases
Next lesson: Challenge: the analyst's afternoon