Deck 7: Structuring System Requirements: Conceptual Data Modeling

Question 1

A faculty identification number could be used as an identifier.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The primary deliverable for the conceptual data-modeling step within the analysis phase is an entity-relationship diagram.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

An entity is a person, place, object, event, or concept in the user environment about which the organization wishes to maintain data.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Since a name represents a set of entities, it is plural on an entity-relationship diagram.

Question 5

Social security number, last name, and first name are examples of entity types.

Question 6

An entity instance is a single occurrence of an entity type.

Question 7

Use a verb or verb phrase to name an entity.

Question 8

A True data entity will have many possible instances, each with a distinguishing characteristic, as well as one or more other descriptive pieces of data.

Question 9

The top-down approach to data modeling derives a data model by reviewing specific business documents.

Question 10

Book, supplier, and state are examples of entity types.

Question 11

A deliverable from conceptual data modeling is a set of entries about data objects to be stored in the project dictionary or repository.

Question 12

The characteristics of data captured during data modeling are crucial in the design of databases, programs, computer screens, and printed reports.

Question 13

In order to determine the integrity rules, minimum and maximum cardinality, and time dimensions of data, an analyst might ask, "Are values for data characteristics limited in any way?"

Question 14

In order to determine security controls and understand who really knows the meaning of data, an analyst might ask, "What natural activities or transactions of the business involve handling data about several objects of the same or different type?"

Question 15

Employee identification number, name, address, and skill are examples of attributes.

Question 16

An analyst would ask, "What must we know about each object in order to run a business?" in order to determine relationships, their cardinality, and degrees.

Question 17

The names of data stores on primitive-level data flow diagrams often correspond to the names of data entities in entity-relationship (E-R) diagrams.

Question 18

Processes, rather than data, are the most complex aspects of many modern information systems.

Question 19

The purpose of the conceptual data model is to show as many rules about the meaning and interrelationships among data as possible.

Question 20

An order number is a good example of a candidate key.

Question 21

A plural relationship is a relationship that the data modeler chooses to model as entity type.

Question 22

Relationships are labeled with verb phrases.

Question 23

A repeating group is a set of two or more multivalued attributes that are logically related.

Question 24

One way to handle repeating data within an entity is to separate the repeating data into another entity, called a weak entity.

Question 25

The minimum cardinality of a relationship is the minimum number of instances of entity B that may be associated with each instance of entity A.

Question 26

Cardinality is the number of instances of entity B that can (or must) be associated with each instance of entity A.

Question 27

A primary key should be null.

Question 28

A ternary relationship is the equivalent of three binary relationships.

Question 29

A ternary relationship is a relationship between instances of one entity type.

Question 30

A join is an association between the instances of one or more entity types that is of interest to the organization.

Question 31

A relationship must be turned into an associative entity when the associative entity has other relationships with entities besides the relationship that caused its creation.

Question 32

An identifier is a candidate key that has been selected as the unique, identifying characteristic for an entity type.

Question 33

A unary relationship is the most common type of relationship encountered in data modeling.

Question 34

Analysts should use intelligent keys as identifiers.

Question 35

The goal of conceptual data modeling is to capture as much of the meaning of data as possible.

Question 36

Analysts should consider substituting single-attribute surrogate keys for large composite keys.

Question 37

A multivalued attribute is an attribute that may take on more than one value for each entity instance.

Question 38

When referencing an employee entity, an employee's skills are an example of a multivalued attribute.

Question 39

Ideally, each data store on a primitive data-flow diagram will be an individual attribute.

Question 40

When selecting an identifier, one should choose a candidate key that will not change its value over the life of each instance of the entity type.

Question 41

In theory, if there are six sets of requirements, four implementation environments, and five sources of application software, then there would be one hundred twenty possible design strategies.

Question 42

Conceptual data modeling for an Internet-based electronic commerce application differs significantly from the process followed when analyzing the data needs for other types of applications.

Question 43

Conceptual data modeling is typically done in parallel with other requirements analysis and structuring steps during:

A) systems planning and selection.
B) systems design.
C) systems analysis.
D) systems implementation and operation.
E) systems evaluation.

Question 44

During systems analysis:

A) a conceptual data model (E-R with attributes) is prepared.
B) a logical model (relational) is prepared.
C) physical files and database designs are prepared.
D) an enterprise-wide data model is prepared.
E) database and file definitions are prepared.

Question 45

The primary deliverable from the conceptual data-modeling step within the analysis phase is:

A) a state-transition diagram.
B) an entity-relationship diagram.
C) a context data flow diagram.
D) a decision table.
E) Structured English.

Question 46

Cost is the primary focus of high-end alternatives.

Question 47

The minimum requirements for a new system are also its mandatory features.

Question 48

During the designing the human interface step of the design phase, you would enumerate different potential implementation environments that could be used to deliver the different sets of capabilities.

Question 49

The most common format used for data modeling is:

A) state-transition diagramming.
B) entity-relationship diagramming.
C) process modeling.
D) logic modeling.
E) a flowchart.

Question 50

Which of the following is a True statement?

A) A data model explains what the organization does and what rules govern how work is done in the organization.
B) To construct a data model, you need to know how data are processed.
C) To construct a data model, you need to know when data are processed.
D) A data flow diagram graphically illustrates the structure and relationships among data items.
E) During conceptual data modeling, the preparation of a Network diagram is necessary.

Question 51

Asking system users and business managers, "What are the subjects of the business?" would help determine:

A) the data entities and their descriptions.
B) the candidate key.
C) attributes and secondary keys.
D) relationships and their cardinality and degrees.
E) integrity rules, minimum and maximum cardinality, and time dimensions of data.

Question 52

Essential features are those that everyone agrees are necessary to solve the problem or meet the opportunity.

Question 53

The data modeling perspective that derives the business rules for a data model from an intimate understanding of the nature of the business, rather than from any specific information requirements in screens, reports, or business forms, is referred to as the:

A) top-down approach.
B) bottom-up approach.
C) overview approach.
D) business approach.
E) conceptual approach.

Question 54

A person, place, object, event, or concept in the user environment about which the organization wishes to maintain data refers to a(n):

A) attribute.
B) data element.
C) relationship.
D) entity.
E) process.

Question 55

Asking system users and managers, "Who is responsible for establishing legitimate values for these data?" helps determine:

A) the candidate key.
B) security controls and understanding who really knows the meaning of data.
C) relationships and their cardinality and degrees.
D) attributes and secondary keys.
E) integrity rules, minimum and maximum cardinality, and time dimensions of data.

Question 56

On an entity-relationship diagram, a rectangle represents a(n):

A) data flow.
B) entity.
C) multivalued attribute.
D) repeating group.
E) relationship.

Question 57

Gathering the information you need for data modeling by reviewing specific business documents handled within the system describes the:

A) bottom-up approach.
B) conceptual approach.
C) top-down approach.
D) investigative approach.
E) business approach.

Question 58

In theory, if there are four sets of requirements, three implementation environments, and four sources of application software, then there would be thirty-six possible design strategies.

Question 59

Reviewing computer screens, reports, and business forms for the purpose of gaining an understanding of data is indicative of the:

A) investigative approach.
B) business approach.
C) bottom-up approach.
D) top-down approach.
E) conceptual approach.

Question 60

A good number of alternatives to generate is five.

Question 61

A renewal is an example of a(n):

A) data element.
B) attribute.
C) entity.
D) relationship.
E) action stub.

Question 62

An association between the instances of one or more entity types that is of interest to the organization best defines:

A) occurrence.
B) relationship.
C) natural connection.
D) cardinality.
E) entity link.

Question 63

A relationship between the instances of one entity type is a:

A) unary relationship.
B) binary relationship.
C) ternary relationship.
D) singular occurrence.
E) partnership occurrence.

Question 64

An attribute that can have more than one value for each entity instance is referred to as:

A) a gerund.
B) a multivalued attribute.
C) a nonexclusive attribute.
D) a data replica.
E) composite attribute

Question 65

A set of two or more multivalued attributes that are logically related defines:

A) relationship.
B) associative entity.
C) repeating group.
D) class.
E) repeating entity.

Question 66

A candidate key that has been selected as the unique, identifying characteristic for an entity type is called a(n):

A) attribute.
B) identifier.
C) secondary key.
D) gerund.
E) index.

Question 67

The number of entity types that participate in a relationship refers to:

A) cardinality.
B) association.
C) count.
D) degree.
E) normalization.

Question 68

A named property or characteristic of an entity that is of interest to the organization defines:

A) attribute.
B) relationship.
C) instance.
D) associative entity.
E) data flow.

Question 69

Vehicle identification number, color, weight, and horsepower best exemplify:

A) entities.
B) entity types.
C) data markers.
D) identifiers.
E) attributes.

Question 70

On an entity-relationship diagram, the entity's identifier is:

A) identified by using a double-lined ellipse.
B) underlined on an E-R diagram.
C) bold on an E-R diagram.
D) written in all capital letters on an E-R diagram.
E) placed in italics.

Question 71

If STUDENT and COURSE participate in a relationship, this is an example of a(n):

A) unary relationship.
B) coupled relationship.
C) binary relationship.
D) ternary relationship.
E) extraordinary relationship.

Question 72

If each employee can have more than one skill, then skill is referred to as a:

A) gerund.
B) multivalued attribute.
C) nonexclusive attribute.
D) repeating attribute.
E) data replica.

Question 73

A product is an example of a(n):

A) data element.
B) attribute.
C) entity.
D) relationship.
E) process.

Question 74

The number of instances of entity B that can (or must) be associated with each instance of entity A refers to:

A) cardinality.
B) domain.
C) ternary occurrence.
D) participation level.
E) join level.

Question 75

A relationship between instances of two entity types is a:

A) unary relationship.
B) binary relationship.
C) ternary relationship.
D) multiple occurrence.
E) partnership occurrence.

Question 76

A collection of entities that share common properties or characteristics best defines:

A) entity type.
B) entity instance.
C) entity occurrence.
D) entity collection.
E) data set.

Question 77

A single occurrence of an entity type defines:

A) entity instance.
B) entity appearance.
C) attribute.
D) data element.
E) multivalued attribute.

Question 78

An attribute (or combination of attributes) that uniquely identifies each instance of an entity type defines:

A) data element occurrence.
B) trigger.
C) candidate key.
D) associative entity.
E) data marker.

Question 79

When selecting an identifier, one should:

A) use intelligent keys.
B) use large composite keys instead of single-attribute surrogate keys.
C) choose a candidate key that will not change its value over the life of each instance of the entity type.
D) choose a candidate key such that for each instance of the entity, the attribute is guaranteed to have valid values or is null.
E) choose a candidate key that allows for duplicate values.

Question 80

A ternary relationship occurs when a simultaneous relationship exists among instances of:

A) the same entity.
B) two entity types.
C) three entity types.
D) four entity types.
E) nine entity types.