Chapter 5: Database Design 1: Normalization

True / False

usually include the original primary key

concatenated with the key to the repeating group.

1. A table that is in first normal form is better than one

that is in second normal form.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER:
False
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 149

a. True
b. False
ANSWER:
True
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 156

2. To correct update anomalies in a database, tables

must be converted into various types of normal

forms.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER:
True
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 149
3. If B is functionally dependent on A, you can also say
that B functionally determines A.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER:
False
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 151
4. Functional dependencies can be determined by
looking at sample data.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER:
False
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 152
5. Removal of repeating groups is the starting point

in the quest to create tables that are as free of

problems as possible.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER:
True
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 155
6. In general, when converting a non-first normal

form table to first normal form, the primary key will

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7. A table that is in first normal form may contain

problems that will require you to restructure it.

a. True
b. False
ANSWER:
True
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 156
8. If the primary key of a table contains only a

single column, the table is automatically in first

normal form.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER:
False
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 158
9. In a dependency diagram, the arrows below the boxes
indicate the normal dependencies.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER:
False
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 158
10. Tables that are in second normal form do not

contain problems.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER:
False
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 160
11. The most recent definition of third normal form

is referred to as the Boyce-Codd normal form.

a. True
b. False
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Chapter 5: Database Design 1: Normalization

ANSWER:
True
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 161

ANSWER:
a
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 149

12. The primary key in a table will be a determinant.

a. True
b. False
ANSWER:
True
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 161

17. The fact that column B is functionally dependent on

column A can be written as ____.
a. A B
b. B A
c. A B
d. B A
ANSWER:
a
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 151

13. Converting to third normal form always avoids

the problems related to dependencies.

a. True
b. False
ANSWER:
False
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 167
14. The normalization process used to convert a relation
or collection of relations to an equivalent collection of
third normal form tables is a crucial part of the database
design process.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER:
True
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 171
15. By splitting relations to achieve third normal

form tables, you create the need to express

interrelation constraints.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER:
True
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 172
Multiple Choice
16. Potential problems in the design of a relational
database are known as ____.
a. update anomalies
b. select anomalies
c. modification anomalies
d. relational anomalies
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18. If B (an attribute) is functionally dependent on A, we

can also say that ____.
a. A functionally determines B
b. A functionally determines another attribute
in the table
c. B functionally determines A
d. B does not determine any other attribute
ANSWER:
a
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 151
19. The ____ is a column (or collection of columns) A
such that all other columns are functionally dependent
on A and no subcollection of the columns in A has this
property.
a. functional key
b. composite key
c. primary key
d. declared key
ANSWER:
c
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 153
20. The definition for ____ also defines a candidate key.
a. functional key
b. repeating group
c. primary key
d. nonkey column
ANSWER:
c
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 155
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Chapter 5: Database Design 1: Normalization

21. A(n) ____ is a column or collection of columns on
which all columns in the table are functionally
dependent.
a. index key
b. candidate key
c. major key
d. special key
ANSWER:
b
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 155
22. An alternate key is a ____.
a. foreign key
b. primary key
c. column that could be a primary key but was
not chosen
d. row that could be a primary key but was not
chosen
ANSWER:
c
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 155
23. A table is in first normal form if it does not contain
____.
a. repeating groups
b. a foreign key
c. a primary key
d. alternate keys
ANSWER:
a
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 155
24. A table that contains a repeating group is called a(n)
____.
a. normalized relation
b. unnormalized relation
c. nominal relation
d. non-nominal relation
ANSWER:
b
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 155
25. If there is more than one possible choice for the
primary key, and one of the possibilities is chosen to be
the primary key, the others are referred to as ____.
a. canceled keys
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b. alternate keys
c. nonkey attributes
d. contributory keys
ANSWER:
b
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 155
26. From all the ____ keys, one is chosen to be the
primary key.
a. alternate
b. candidate
c. functional
d. normal
ANSWER:
b
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 155
27. Which of the followingcontains a repeating group?
a. Orders (OrderNum, OrderDate, (ItemNum,
NumOrdered) )
b. Orders (OrderNum, OrderDate, ItemNum,
NumOrdered )
c. Orders (OrderNum, OrderDate)
d. Orders (OrderNum, ItemNum,
NumOrdered )
ANSWER:
a
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 155-156
28. A column is a nonkey column if it is ____.
a. in first normal form
b. in second normal form
c. a part of the primary key
d. not a part of the primary key
ANSWER:
d
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 157
29. Another name for a nonkey column is a ____.
a. nonkey attribute
b. key attribute
c. nonkey row
d. key table
ANSWER:
a
POINTS:
1
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Chapter 5: Database Design 1: Normalization

REFERENCES: 157
30. Second normal form can be defined as a table that is
in first normal form but that contains no ____.
a. partial dependencies
b. alternate keys
c. nonkey columns
d. interrelation constraints
ANSWER:
a
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 158
31. Partial dependencies are dependencies on only a
portion of the ____.
a. nonkey column
b. first column or attribute
c. primary key
d. index
ANSWER:
c
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 158
32. ____ normal form has an additional condition that
the only determinants the table contains are candidate
keys.
a. First
b. Second
c. Third
d. Fourth
ANSWER:
c
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 161
33. A table is in fourth normal form when it is in third
normal form and there are no ____.
a. alternate keys
b. foreign keys
c. multivalued dependencies
d. primary dependencies
ANSWER:
c
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 169
34. To convert a table to fourth normal form, split the
third normal form table into separate tables, each
containing the column that ____ the others.
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a. determines
b. multidetermines
c. defines
d. identifies
ANSWER:
b
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 169
35. The conversion of an unnormalized table to first
normal form requires the removal of ____.
a. determinants
b. interrelation constraints
c. nonkey columns
d. repeating groups
ANSWER:
d
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 171
Completion
36. The ____________________ process enables you to
identify the existence of potential problems in the design
of a database.
ANSWER:
normalization
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 149
37. A column B is ____________________ on

another column A if each value for A in the

database is associated with exactly one value of B.
ANSWER:
functionally dependent
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 151
38. Second normal form represents an improvement over
____________________ normal form.
ANSWER:
first

1st
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 157
39. A column is a nonkey column if it is not a part of the
____________________.
ANSWER:
primary key
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 157
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Chapter 5: Database Design 1: Normalization

40. A(n) ____________________ uses arrows to

indicate all the functional dependencies present in

the table.
ANSWER:
dependency diagram
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 158
41. Any column or collection of columns that determines
another column is called a(n)
ANSWER:
determinant
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 161
42. By converting a given collection of tables to an
equivalent third normal form collection of tables, you
remove any problems arising from
____________________ dependencies.
ANSWER:
functional
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 167
43. In a table with columns A, B, and C, there is

a(n) ____________________ dependence of

column B on column A if each value for A is
associated with a specific collection of values for B
and, further, this collection is independent of any
values for C.
ANSWER:
multivalued
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 169
44. A B signifies that B is ____________________
on A.
ANSWER:
multidependent
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 169
45. A(n) ____________________ is a condition that

involves two or more relations.

ANSWER:
interrelation constraint
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 172
Essay
46. Explain what normalization is, including the goal of
normalization.
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ANSWER:

Normalization is a progression in
which a table that is in first normal
form is better (freer from problems)
than a table that is not in first
normal form, a table that is in
second normal form is better than
one that is in first normal form, and
so on. The goal of normalization is
to take a table or collection of tables
and produce a new collection of
tables that represents the same
information but that is free of
update anomalies.

POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 149
47. Discuss what normal forms are and list the most

common normal forms.

ANSWER:
To correct update anomalies in a
database, you must convert tables to
various types of normal forms. A
table in a particular normal form
possesses a certain desirable
collection of properties. The most
common normal forms are first
normal form (1NF), second normal
form (2NF), third normal form
(3NF), and fourth normal form
(4NF).
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 149
48. Discuss how candidate keys, primary key, and
alternate keys are related.
ANSWER:
Like a primary key, a candidate key

is a column or a collection of
columns on which all columns in
the table are functionally dependent;
the definition for primary key also
defines a candidate key. From all
the candidate keys, one is chosen to
be the primary key. The candidate
keys that are not chosen as the
primary key are often referred to as
alternate keys.
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 155
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Chapter 5: Database Design 1: Normalization

49. What is the difference between a table in first

normal form and one in second normal form?

ANSWER:
A table is in first normal form if it
does not contain repeating groups.
A table is in second normal form if
it is in first normal form and no
nonkey column is dependent on
only a portion of the primary key.
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 155
157
50. Describe the procedure for converting a table to the
third normal form.
ANSWER:
First, for each determinant that is

not a candidate key, remove from

the table the columns that depend
on this determinant (but dont
remove the determinant). Next,
create a new table containing all the
columns from the original table that
depend on this determinant. Finally,
make the determinant the primary
key of this new table.
POINTS:
1
REFERENCES: 161

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