Deck 5: Database Management Systems

Question 1

In the network database model, a child record can have more than one parent record.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The uniform product codes (UPCs) used by supermarkets and other retailers are examples of a block coding scheme.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Another name for sequential coding is block coding.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

A check digit is a code that includes an extra digit to a code in order to check the accuracy with which the code is keyed into a computer.

Question 5

The centralized database approach to business event processing, in which facts about events are stored in relational database tables instead of separate files, solves many of the problems caused by data redundancy.

Question 6

Data independence refers to decoupling the data from the system applications, and it is a major difference between the centralized database approach and the applications approach.

Question 7

A scanner is used to access a database and to produce inquiry reports.

Question 8

The traditional applications approach to business event processing concentrates on the process being performed.

Question 9

The database management system, containing data related to all an organization's applications, supports normal data processing needs and enhances the organization's management activities by providing data useful to managers.

Question 10

Both the mnemonic and the hierarchical coding schemes attach specific meaning to particular character positions.

Question 11

A database management system (DBMS) is a set of standalone programs designed to complicate the tasks of creating, accessing, and managing data.

Question 12

The database administrator is responsible for administrative and technical issues related to the database management system.

Question 13

The applications approach to data management decouples the data from the applications or other users of the data.

Question 14

When different information about the same fact is stored in different files the integrity of the data is violated.

Question 15

Classifying data refers to grouping or categorizing data according to some common attributes.

Question 16

Because it uses alphabetic characters, a sequential coding system is most understandable to human beings.

Question 17

A description of a portion of a schema is referred to as a subschema.

Question 18

A DBMS is a set of integrated computer programs designed to simplify the tasks of creating, accessing, and managing a centralized database.

Question 19

The centralized database approach to data management concentrates on the process being performed, rather than on the data themselves.

Question 20

Business processes, such as hiring employees, purchasing inventory, and collecting cash from customers, are called events.

Question 21

A partial dependency happens when an attribute that is dependent on a portion of the primary key not on the entire key.

Question 22

An attribute is equivalent to a field and may also be known as a row.

Question 23

A secondary key uniquely identifies any row within a relational table.

Question 24

A data model for a database is often depicted using entity-relationship diagrams.

Question 25

Data mining refers to the exploration, aggregation, and analysis of large quantities of varied data from across the organization.

Question 26

The normalization process involves the application of various rules (called normal forms) that yields relational tables that are free of anomalies.

Question 27

An object-oriented database system is a database that allows both simple and complex objects to be stored using abstract data types.

Question 28

Update anomalies are problems in a relation table caused by the existence of functional dependencies.

Question 29

In a hierarchical database model, all record relationships are 3:N.

Question 30

An attribute is an item of data that characterizes an entity or relationship.

Question 31

In a hierarchical database model, a child record may only have one parent.

Question 32

In a network database model, data are logically organized into two-dimensional tables.

Question 33

A data model depicts user requirements for data stored in a database.

Question 34

A table is in second normal form (2NF), if it does not contain repeating groups.

Question 35

Data warehousing is the use of information systems facilities to focus on the collection, organization, integration, and long-term storage of entity-wide data.

Question 36

A table is in first normal form (1NF) if it has no partial dependencies; that is, no non-key attribute is dependent on only a portion of the primary key.

Question 37

An unnormalized table is a table that contains repeating attributes (or fields) within each row (or record).

Question 38

A relation is in third normal form (3NF) if it is in first normal form and no nonkey attribute is dependent on only a portion of the primary key.

Question 39

In a relational database model, data are logically organized into two-dimensional tables.

Question 40

Data redundancy allows non-technical users to bypass the programmer and to access the database directly.

Question 41

A spreadsheet is a typical component of a decision support system.

Question 42

An expert system helps make complex decisions consistently.

Question 43

A record layout depicts:

A) the characters comprising a field
B) the fields comprising a record
C) the records comprising a file
D) the characters comprising a record

Question 44

Group Support Systems (GSS) focus on such functions as e-mail, scheduling, and document sharing.

Question 45

Data redundancy:

A) occurs when data is stored in multiple locations
B) is eliminated by using the applications approach
C) reduces labor and storage costs
D) improves consistency between applications

Question 46

The coding system that is most understandable by human information processors is:

A) serial coding
B) hierarchical coding
C) block coding
D) mnemonic coding

Question 47

An intelligent agent is a computer-based system of hardware and software that mimics the human brain's ability to recognize patterns or predict outcomes using less-than-complete information.

Question 48

Executive information systems use complex processing and calculations to determine a solution to a problem.

Question 49

The uniform product codes (UPC) used in supermarkets is a type of:

A) block code
B) serial code
C) hierarchical code
D) significant digit code

Question 50

Knowledge management is the process of capturing, storing, retrieving, and distributing the knowledge of the individuals in an organization for use by others in the organization to improve the quantity and/or efficiency of decision making.

Question 51

A postal ZIP code is an example of which of the following coding schemes?

A) block code
B) serial code
C) hierarchical code
D) significant digit code

Question 52

Which of the following statements related to the event-driven approach is false?

A) It attempts to describe all aspects of business events.
B) It is also referred to as the top-down approach.
C) It focuses on how users interact with business events and processes.
D) It usually results in a better database design than the bottom-up approach.

Question 53

In set theory, a two-dimensional collection of information is called a relation.

Question 54

A company uses a 7-digit number to identify customers. For example, the customer 1532789 indicates the following information: digits 1-2, state, 15 = Georgia
Digit 3, type of organization, 3 = government agency
Digit 4, credit terms, 2 = 2/10, n/30
Digits 5-7, unique customer identifier, 789
This type of coding scheme is:

A) hierarchical
B) block
C) significant digit
D) sequential

Question 55

Another name for sequential coding is:

A) block coding
B) serial coding
C) hierarchical coding
D) significant digit coding

Question 56

Data warehousing and data mining are driving many new DBMS implementations.

Question 57

Each relationship has a characteristic, called a cardinality that shows the degree to which each entity participates in the relationship.

Question 58

A neural network is a software program that may be integrated into DSS or other software tools.

Question 59

Grouping or categorizing data according to common attributes is called:

A) coding data
B) filing data
C) classifying data
D) updating data

Question 60

Maximum cardinality is used to specify the minimum level of participation that one entity can have with another entity.

Question 61

Which of the following is the most likely coding scheme for college courses?

A) hierarchical coding
B) sequential coding
C) block coding
D) mnemonic coding

Question 62

Which of the following is not a function that a database management system performs?

A) Defining the data.
B) Defining the relations among data.
C) Interfacing with the operating system for storage of the data on the physical media.
D) Coordinating access to data stored in the applications programs.

Question 63

Which of the following statements regarding the centralized database approach to data management is false?

A) Facts about events are stored in relational database tables.
B) Users can access and manipulate data using their own models.
C) The approach eliminates many of the problems caused by data redundancy.
D) In this approach, data and applications are dependent on each other.

Question 64

The ____ concentrates on the process being performed with data playing a secondary or supporting role.

A) database management approach
B) hierarchical data management approach
C) transaction processing approach
D) applications approach

Question 65

A data model depicts the requirements for data as specified by the:

A) database
B) enterprise
C) user
D) database administrator

Question 66

Decoupling the data from the system applications is a major difference between the centralized database approach and the applications approach and is known as:

A) data independence
B) data manipulation
C) data redundancy
D) query language

Question 67

The exploration, aggregation, and analysis of large quantities of varied data from across the organization is known as:

A) data independence
B) data mining
C) data redundancy
D) data warehousing

Question 68

Assigning numbers to objects in chronological sequence is known as:

A) block coding
B) mnemonic coding
C) sequential coding
D) check digit coding

Question 69

In a(n) ____ database model, records are organized in a pyramid structure.

A) hierarchical
B) relational
C) network
D) object-oriented

Question 70

The feature of a database management system that enables nontechnical users to access a database and to produce inquiry reports is the:

A) Schema
B) query language
C) Subschema
D) logical database view

Question 71

An extra character added to a numeric code as a device to test the accuracy of data entered into a computer system is called a:

A) control digit
B) check digit
C) mnemonic digit
D) significant digit

Question 72

A resource, event, or agent about which data are collected is called:

A) an attribute
B) an entity
C) a relationship
D) a query

Question 73

Which of the following is not a database model discussed in Chapter 5:

A) Relational
B) Hierarchical
C) Network
D) Physical

Question 74

In an entity-relationship diagram, ____ are used to show the characteristics of relationships.

A) squares
B) circles
C) diamonds
D) parallelograms

Question 75

With the centralized database approach to data management, we expect to have:

A) increased data storage costs
B) improved data integrity
C) increased data redundancy
D) greater difficulty in performing file maintenance

Question 76

The ____ database model works well for simple data structures, but falls apart quickly when the data becomes more complex.

A) Hierarchical
B) Relational
C) Network
D) object-oriented

Question 77

Which of the following advantages of the centralized database approach does not occur because of a reduction in data redundancy?

A) reduced storage costs
B) easier maintenance
C) increased data integrity
D) reduced user and programmer training

Question 78

Which of the following statements related to events-driven systems is false?

A) In events-driven systems data is aggregated and maintained in its original form.
B) With an events-driven system management views information systems processing as a decision-support activity.
C) Organizations adopting an events-driven system are focused on capturing data for the purpose of generating reports.
D) Users should be able to access and manipulate data using their own models and their own data aggregations.

Question 79

The computer software needed to implement a database approach to data management that is not needed with the applications approach to data management is:

A) operating system software
B) database management system (DBMS) software
C) application program software
D) query language software

Question 80

A(n) ____ reflects a system's key entities and the relationship among them.

A) data flow diagram
B) relational table
C) program flowchart
D) entity-relationship diagram