Deck 6: Normalization of Database Tables

Question 1

Denormalization produces a lower normal form.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Relational models view data as part of a table or collection of tables in which all key values must be identified.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

The objective of normalization is to ensure that each table conforms to the concept of well-formed relations.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Normalization works through a series of stages called normal forms.

Question 5

Data stored at their highest level of granularity are said to be atomic data.

Question 6

Repeating groups must be eliminated by ensuring that each row defines a single entity.

Question 7

Dependencies that are based on only a part of a composite primary key are called transitive dependencies.

Question 8

Normalization is a process that is used for changing attributes to entities.

Question 9

All relational tables satisfy the 1NF requirements.

Question 10

In the context of partial dependencies, data redundancies occur because every row entry requires duplication of data.

Question 11

Normalization represents a micro view of the entities within the ERD.

Question 12

In order to meet performance requirements, portions of the database design may need to be occasionally denormalized.

Question 13

Normalization purity is often easy to sustain in the modern database environment.

Question 14

Dependency diagrams are very helpful in getting a bird's-eye view of all the relationships among a table's attributes.

Question 15

It is possible for a table in 2NF to exhibit transitive dependency, where the primary key may rely on one or more nonprime attributes to functionally determine other nonprime attributes.

Question 16

Since a partial dependency can exist only if a table's primary key is composed of several attributes, if a table in 1NF has a single-attribute primary key, then the table is automatically in 2NF.

Question 17

The combination of normalization and ER modeling yields a useful ERD, whose entities can be translated into appropriate table structures.

Question 18

A table is in BCNF if every determinant in the table is a foreign key.

Question 19

A dependency of one nonprime attribute on another nonprime attribute is a partial dependency.

Question 20

A table is in fourth normal form if it is in third normal form and has no independent multivalued dependencies.

Question 21

A table that is in 2NF and contains no transitive dependencies is said to be in _____.

A) 1NF
B) 2NF
C) 3NF
D) 4NF

Question 22

From a system functionality point of view, _____ attribute values can be calculated when they are needed to write reports or invoices.

A) derived
B) atomic
C) granular
D) historical

Question 23

The most likely data type for a surrogate key is _____.

A) character
B) date
C) logical
D) numeric

Question 24

Dependencies based on only a part of a composite primary key are known as _____ dependencies.

A) primary
B) partial
C) incomplete
D) composite

Question 25

Of the following normal forms, _____ is mostly of theoretical interest.

A) 1NF
B) 3NF
C) BCNF
D) DKNF

Question 26

Improving _____ leads to more flexible queries.

A) atomicity
B) normalization
C) denormalization
D) derived attribute

Question 27

A table that has all key attributes defined, has no repeating groups, and all its attributes are dependent on the primary key is said to be in _____.

A) 1NF
B) 2NF
C) 3NF
D) 4NF

Question 28

Granularity refers to _____.

A) the size of a table
B) the level of detail represented by the values in a table's row
C) the number of attributes represented in a table
D) the number of rows in a table

Question 29

A(n) _____ exists when there are functional dependencies such that Y is functionally dependent on X, Z is functionally dependent on Y, and X is the primary key.

A) partial dependency
B) repeating group
C) atomic attribute
D) transitive dependency

Question 30

If a table has multiple candidate keys and one of those candidate keys is a composite key, the table can have _____ based on this composite candidate key even when the primary key chosen is a single attribute.

A) Boyce-Codd normal forms
B) redundancies
C) time-variances
D) partial dependencies

Question 31

An attribute that is part of a key is known as a(n) _____ attribute.

A) important
B) nonprime
C) prime
D) entity

Question 32

A _____ derives its name from the fact that a collection of multiple entries of the same type can exist for any single key attribute occurrence.

A) partial dependency
B) transitive dependency
C) repeating group
D) primary key

Question 33

From a structural point of view, 2NF is better than _____.

A) 1NF
B) 3NF
C) 4NF
D) BCNF

Question 34

Attribute A _____ attribute B if all of the rows in the table that agree in value for attribute A also agree in value for attribute B.

A) determines
B) derives from
C) controls
D) owns

Question 35

In a(n) _____ diagram, the arrows above the attributes indicate all desirable dependencies.

A) Chen
B) dependency
C) functionality
D) ER

Question 36

A relational table must not contain a(n) _____.

A) entity
B) attribute
C) relationship
D) repeating group

Question 37

From a structural point of view, 3NF is better than _____.

A) 2NF
B) 3NF
C) 5NF
D) 6NF

Question 38

An atomic attribute _____.

A) cannot exist in a relational table
B) cannot be further subdivided
C) displays multiplicity
D) is always chosen to be a foreign key

Question 39

Normalization works through a series of stages called normal forms. For most purposes in business database design, _____ stages are as high as you need to go in the normalization process.

A) two
B) three
C) four
D) five

Question 40

Some very specialized applications may require normalization beyond the _____.

A) 1NF
B) 2NF
C) 3NF
D) 4NF

Question 41

When a table contains only one candidate key, _____ are considered to be equivalent.

A) the 1NF and the 2NF
B) the 3NF and the BCNF
C) the 4NF and the 3NF
D) the BCNF and the DKNF

Question 42

A table where all attributes are dependent on the primary key but are independent of each other, and no row contains two or more multivalued facts about an entity is said to be in _____.

A) 1NF
B) 2NF
C) 3NF
D) 4NF

Question 43

In a _____ situation, one key determines multiple values of two other attributes and those attributes are independent of each other.

A) multivalued dependency
B) transitive dependency
C) partial dependency
D) functional dependency

Question 44

An example of denormalization is using a _____ denormalized table to hold report data. This is required when creating a tabular report in which the columns represent data that are stored in the table as rows.

A) transitive
B) 3NF
C) component
D) temporary

Question 45

_____ is a process to help reduce the likelihood of data anomalies.

Question 46

A dependency based on only a part of a composite primary key is called a(n) _____.

Question 47

When designing a new database structure based on the business requirements of the end users, the database designer will construct a data model using a technique such as _____.

Question 48

Because a partial dependency can exist only when a table's primary key is composed of several attributes, a table whose _____ key consists of only a single attribute is automatically in 2NF once it is in 1NF.

Question 49

_____ databases reflect the ever-growing demand for greater scope and depth in the data on which decision support systems increasingly rely.

A) Normalized
B) Data warehouse
C) Temporary
D) Report

Question 50

The _____ is central to a discussion of normalization.

Question 51

Data warehouse routinely uses _____ structures in its complex, multilevel, multisource data environment.

A) 1NF
B) 2NF
C) 3NF
D) 4NF

Question 52

The price paid for increased performance through denormalization is a larger amount of _____.

Question 53

All relational tables satisfy the _____ requirements.

Question 54

To generate a surrogate key, Microsoft Access uses a(n) _____ data type.

A) character
B) sequence
C) AutoNumber
D) identity

Question 55

BCNF can be violated only if the table contains more than one _____ key.

A) primary
B) candidate
C) foreign
D) secondary

Question 56

A table is in 4NF if it is in 3NF, and _____.

A) all attributes must be dependent on the primary key and must be dependent on each other
B) all attributes are unrelated
C) it has no multivalued dependencies
D) no column contains the same values

Question 57

Any attribute that is at least part of a key is known as a(n) _____.

Question 58

In a real-world environment, we must strike a balance between design integrity and _____.

A) robustness
B) flexibility
C) uniqueness
D) ease of use

Question 59

In order to meet _____ requirements, you may have to denormalize some portions of a database design.

Question 60

If database tables are treated as though they were files in a file system, the _____ never has a chance to demonstrate its superior data-handling capabilities.

Question 61

Describe a dependency diagram and explain its purpose.

Question 62

_____ refers to the level of detail represented by the values stored in a table's row.

Question 63

An ERD is created through a(n) _____ process.

Question 64

In the _____, no row may contain two or more multivalued facts about an entity.

Question 65

Explain the Boyce-Codd normal form (BCNF). How is it related to other normal forms?

Question 66

It becomes difficult to create a suitable _____ key when the related table uses a composite primary key.

Question 67

In a real-world environment, changing granularity requirements might dictate changes in primary key selection, and those changes might ultimately require the use of _____ keys.

Question 68

What steps are involved in the conversion to third normal form?

Question 69

The combination of _____ and ER modeling yields a useful ERD, whose entities may now be translated into appropriate table structures.

Question 70

Any attribute whose value determines other values within a row is known as a(n) _____.

Question 71

What characteristics do tables that conform to the concept of well-informed relations have?

Question 72

According to the data-modeling checklist, _____ should be nouns that are familiar to business, should be short and meaningful, and should document abbreviations, synonyms, and aliases for each entity.

Question 73

Explain normalization and its different forms.

Question 74

An attribute that cannot be further subdivided is said to display _____.

Question 75

Unnormalized tables yield no simple strategies for creating virtual tables known as _____.