MCQs~Databases~Relational Model and Normalization

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Database_normalization
Database normalization is the process of organizing the fields and tables
of a relational database to minimize redundancy. Normalization usually involves
dividing large tables into smaller (and less redundant) tables and defining
relationships between them. The objective is to isolate data so that additions,
deletions, and modifications of a field can be made in just one table and then
propagated through the rest of the database using the defined relationships.
Edgar F. Codd, the inventor of the relational model, introduced the
concept of normalization and what we now know as the First Normal Form (1NF) in
1970.[1] Codd went on to define the Second Normal Form (2NF) and Third Normal
Form (3NF) in 1971,[2] and Codd and Raymond F. Boyce defined the Boyce-Codd
Normal Form (BCNF) in 1974.[3] Informally, a relational database table is often
described as "normalized" if it is in the Third Normal Form.[4] Most 3NF tables
are free of insertion, update, and deletion anomalies.
A standard piece of database design guidance is that the designer should
first create a fully normalized design; then selective denormalization can be
performed for performance reasons.[5]
A typical example of normalization is that a unique ID is stored
everywhere in the system but its name is held in only one table. The name can be
updated more easily in one row of one table. A typical update in such an example
would be the RIM company changing its name to BlackBerry.[6] That update would be
done in one place and immediately the correct "BlackBerry" name would be
displayed throughout the system.
1.
Every time attribute A appears, it is matched with the same value of attribute B,
but not the same value of attribute C. Therefore, it is true that:
A.
A ? B.
B.
A ? C.
C.
A ? (B,C).
D.
(B,C) ? A.
Answer & Explanation
Answer: Option A
2.
The different classes of relations created by the technique for preventing
modification anomalies are called:
A.
normal forms.
B.
referential integrity constraints.
C.
functional dependencies.
D.
None of the above is correct.
Answer & Explanation
Answer: Option A
3.
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A relation is in this form if it is in BCNF and has no multivalued dependencies:
A.
second normal form.
B.
third normal form.
C.
fourth normal form.
D.
domain/key normal form.
Answer & Explanation
Answer: Option C
4.
Row is synonymous with the term:
A.
record. B.
relation.
C.
column. D.
field.
Answer & Explanation
Answer: Option A
5.
The primary key is selected from the:
A.
composite keys.
B.
determinants.
C.
candidate keys.
D.
foreign keys.

6.
Which of the following is a group of one or more attributes that uniquely
identifies a row?
A.
Key
B.
Determinant
C.
Tuple
D.
Relation
Answer & Explanation
Answer: Option A
7.
When the values in one or more attributes being used as a foreign key must exist
in another set of one or more attributes in another table, we have created a(n):
A.
transitive dependency.
B.
insertion anomaly.
C.
referential integrity constraint.
D.
normal form.
Answer & Explanation
Answer: Option C
8.
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A relation is considered a:
A.
Column.
B.
one-dimensional table.
C.
two-dimensional table.
D.
three-dimensional table.
Answer & Explanation
Answer: Option C
9.
In the relational model, relationships between relations or tables are created by
using:
A.
composite keys.
B.
determinants.
C.
candidate keys.
D.
foreign keys.
Answer & Explanation
Answer: Option D
10.
A functional dependency is a relationship between or among:
A.
tables. B.
rows.
C.
relations.
D.
attributes.
Answer & Explanation
Answer: Option D
11.
Table is synonymous with the term:
A.
record. B.
relation.
C.
column. D.
field.
Answer & Explanation
Answer: Option B
12.
Which of the following is not a restriction for a table to be a relation?
A.
The cells of the table must contain a single value.
B.
All of the entries in any column must be of the same kind.
C.
The columns must be ordered.
D.
No two rows in a table may be identical.
Answer & Explanation
Answer: Option C
Explanation:
(A)

The cells may or may not contian values (NOT NULL or NULL)
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(B) is strict to enforce and varies across databases
(C) Columns can be in any order, it does not affect the table
structure/the relation
(D)
Can be identical for all non-unique fields (columns)
13.
For some relations, changing the data can have undesirable consequences called:
A.
referential integrity constraints.
B.
modification anomalies.
C.
normal forms.
D.
transitive dependencies.
Answer & Explanation
Answer: Option B
Explanation:
(You can find a nice discussion here:
http://classes.midlandstech.edu/cpt242/MODIFICATION_ANOMALIES.HTML)
There are Three types of MODIFICATION ANOMALIES
Insertion Anomaly: failure to place information a new database entry in all
the places in the database where information about a new entry needs to be
stored.
Deletion Anomaly: failure to remove information about an existing database
entry when it is time to remove that entry.
Update Anomaly: update of a database involves modifications that may be
additions, deletions, or both. Thus "update anomalies" can be either insertion or
deletion anomaly.
"These problems with the addition and deletion of data, normal everyday
stuff, have to be considered when designing, decomposing relations into new
relations, determining primary keys, foreign keys, and the like. As can be seen
by these examples disaster can strike, if we fail to properly normalize our
data."
14.
A key:
A.
must always be composed of two or more columns.
B.
can only be one column.
C.
identifies a row.
D.
identifies a column.
Answer & Explanation
Answer: Option C
15.
An attribute is a(n):
A.
column of a table.
B.
two dimensional table.
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C.
row of a table.
D.
key of a table.
Answer & Explanation
Answer: Option A
16.
A relation in this form is free of all modification anomalies.
A.
First normal form
B.
Second normal form
C.
Third normal form
D.
Domain/key normal form
Answer & Explanation
Answer: Option D
17.
If attributes A and B determine attribute C, then it is also true that:
A.
A --> C.
B.
B --> C.
C.
(A,B) is a composite determinant.
D.
C is a determinant.
Answer & Explanation
Answer: Option C
18.
A tuple is a(n):
A.
column of a table.
B.
two dimensional table.
C.
row of a table.
D.
key of a table.
Answer & Explanation
Answer: Option C
19.
If attribute A determines both attributes B and C, then it is also true that:
A.
A --> B.
B.
B --> A.
C.
C --> A.
D.
(B,C) --> A.
Answer & Explanation
Answer: Option A
20.
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One solution to the multivalued dependency constraint problem is to:
A.
split the relation into two relations, each with a single theme.
B.
change the theme.
C.
create a new theme.
D.
add a composite key.
Answer & Explanation
Answer: Option A
Explanation:

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multivalued_dependency)

Consider this example of a database of teaching courses, the books recommended

for the course, and the lecturers who will be teaching the course:
Course
AHA
AHA
AHA
AHA
AHA
AHA
OSO
OSO

Book
Silberschatz
Nederpelt
Silberschatz
Nederpelt
Silberschatz
Nederpelt
Silberschatz
Silberschatz

Lecturer
John D
William M
William M
John D
Christian G
Christian G
John D
William M

Because the lecturers attached to the course and the books attached to the course
are independent of each other, this database design has a multivalued dependency;
if we were to add a new book to the AHA course, we would have to add one record
for each of the lecturers on that course, and vice versa.
Put formally, there are two multivalued dependencies in this relation: {course}
-->> {book} and equivalently {course} -->> {lecturer}.
Databases with multivalued dependencies thus exhibit redundancy. In database
normalization, fourth normal form requires that either every multivalued
dependency X -->> Y is trivial or for every nontrivial multivalued dependency X
-->> Y, X is a superkey.

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