---
title: "Define base cuboid"
subject: "Data Mining"
chapter: 2
key: "semester_7/data_mining:define-base-cuboid"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/data_mining/define-base-cuboid
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Define base cuboid

Data Mining · Chapter 2: Data Pre-processing

- Asked in: year not given
- Video: [Data Cube in Data Warehousing | Learn in 6-Mins](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRfYT1wDx3g) — Kognito Key
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/data_mining/define-base-cuboid
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_7/data_mining/chapter-2

## Question

Define base cuboid.

## Short answer

The base cuboid is the lowest-level cuboid in a data cube lattice containing all n dimensions at their most detailed granularity, holding unaggregated data. All other cuboids are derived by aggregating the base cuboid. Example: for dimensions time, item, location, the 3-D cuboid (time, item, location) is the base cuboid.

## Answer

The **base cuboid** is the lowest-level cuboid of a data cube lattice. It contains all n dimensions at their most detailed level, so it holds the finest-granularity, un-aggregated data. All other cuboids are obtained by aggregating the base cuboid.

**Example**: for dimensions time, item and location, the 3-D cuboid (time, item, location) is the base cuboid. For n dimensions without hierarchies, the cube has 2ⁿ cuboids; for n = 3 there are 8, including the base cuboid.

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. What is the base cuboid?
   A. The lowest-level cuboid holding all n dimensions at the most detailed level
   B. The 0-D cuboid with the grand total
   C. A cuboid with half the dimensions
   D. A cuboid containing only dimension names
   Answer: A. The base cuboid has all n dimensions at finest granularity. (Key point: Base cuboid)

2. How are other cuboids obtained from the base cuboid?
   A. By adding noise
   B. By aggregating it
   C. By deleting the fact table
   D. They are independent of it
   Answer: B. All other cuboids are aggregations of the base cuboid. (Key point: Other cuboids)

3. For n = 3 dimensions with no hierarchies, how many cuboids are in the cube?
   A. 3
   B. 6
   C. 8
   D. 9
   Answer: C. A cube has 2^n cuboids, so 2^3 = 8, including the base cuboid. (Key point: Number of cuboids)