DATABASE MANAGEMENT TOOLS

Homework – 1 KEY
1. Define each of following terms:

a) Data: Data consists of raw and unorganized facts which have not yet been
processed to reveal their meaning. Example: Text, Number, Images.

b) Field: Field refers to an attribute in database which stores a specific category of

data such as “Name”, “City”, “State”. For example, under the age field the follow
numbers constitute to the age of the participants “18, 19, 21, 22”.

c) Record: A logically connected set of one or more fields that describes a person,
place, event or thing. (Entire row in a table). Example: A Customer record may be
composed of the fields number, name, address.

d) File: File is a collection of related records that contain information of interest to

the end user.

2. Differences between data, information and a database.

a) Data: Data refers to Raw facts without context. Example: "John", "25", "Engineer"
(isolated and meaningless without context).
b) Information: Meaningful data that is processed and provides context. Example:
"John is a 25-year-old engineer working at a tech company." (now meaningful).
c) Database: Database is a structured collection of data that can be stored,
retrieved, and managed efficiently. Example: A company's employee database
storing details like names, ages, job titles, and salaries in an organized manner.

3. Meta Data: Metadata is also known as data about data, it provides information about
other data like structure, format, and properties of data to help with organization and
management. Metadata also describes the data characteristics and the set of
relationships that links the data found within the database.

4. Structured Data: Structured Data is an organized, formatted data stored in relational

databases with rows and columns. Since is highly organized, it is easy to search,
retrieve, modify and manipulate using SQL. So, it helps in managing employee
databases, tracking transactions, maintaining patient records like patient names,
patient numbers, etc.
Example: A hospital system maintaining patient records, prescription details,
diagnoses, and medical history.
 Unstructured Data: Unstructured Data is an unorganized data which lacks a fixed
format making it complex to store, analyse, search, modify and manipulate. This data
requires AI or advanced tools for analysis.
Example: Client service- Support teams handle client emails, chat logs, and call
recordings, which require AI-based tools for analysis.
Which type is more prevalent in a typical business environment?
Structured data is more prevalent in a typical business environment as it is organized,
easily searchable, and used for operations like transactions, customer records, and
inventory management.
However, unstructured data is rapidly growing due to emails, social media, and
multimedia. While structured data dominates, businesses increasingly analyze
unstructured data for insights and decision-making.

5. What are some basic database functions that a spreadsheet cannot perform?
Some basic database functions that a spreadsheet cannot perform include:
• Metadata Support: Spreadsheets lack support for self-documentation through
metadata.
• Data Type Enforcement: Spreadsheets cannot enforce data types or domains to
ensure data consistency within a column.
• Relationships: Spreadsheets do not provide mechanisms for defining relationships
among tables. Constraint Enforcement: They cannot enforce constraints to ensure
data consistency across related tables.
• Complex Querying: Spreadsheets are limited in their ability to perform complex
database queries and operations.
• Multiuser Collaboration: Spreadsheets may not facilitate multiuser collaboration
and concurrent data access effectively.
• Scalability: Spreadsheets may struggle to handle large datasets and complex data
structures efficiently.

6. Explain why the cost of ownership may be lower with a cloud database than
with a traditional, company database.
A cloud database has lower ownership costs by eliminating expensive hardware,
reducing maintenance and IT staff costs. With its scalability, companies pay only for
the resources they use. Cloud providers manage security, updates, and backups,
reducing operational burdens. Additionally, disaster recovery and high availability
minimize downtime costs, making it a more cost-effective option than traditional
databases.

Given the file structure shown in Figure P1.1, answer Problems 1–4.
1. How many records does the file contain? How many fields are there per record?
a. 7 (21-5Z, 25-2D, 25-5A, 25-9T, 27-4Q, 29-2D, 31-7P)
b. 5 (PROJECT_CODE, PROJECT_MANAGER, MANAGER_PHONE,
MANAGER_ADDRESS, PROJECT_BID_PRICE)

2. What problem would you encounter if you wanted to produce a listing by city?
How would you solve this problem by altering the file structure?

To list records by city, the main problem is that the MANAGER_ADDRESS field
contains multiple pieces of information, making it difficult to sort or filter by city
alone. This can be fixed by restructuring the file so that address components, such
as STREET, CITY, STATE, and ZIP_CODE, are stored in separate fields. By organizing
the data this way, it becomes easier to query and sort by city, allowing for the use of
the GROUP BY function to generate the listing efficiently.

3. If you wanted to produce a listing of the file contents by last name, area code,
city, state, or zip code, how would you alter the file structure?

To produce listings by last name, area code, city, state, or zip code, alter the file
structure by adding separate fields for each of these criteria i.e. PROJECT_MANAGER
and MANAGER_ADDRESS.

4. What data redundancies do you detect? How could those redundancies lead to
anomalies?

Data Redundancy: We observe the presence of Holly B. Parker as a manager in three

separate instances, signifying her management of three projects labelled as 21-5Z,
25-9T, and 29-2D, respectively. Furthermore, we notice the repetition of identical
information regarding the project manager's name, phone number, and address.
These redundancies can result in data anomalies such as inconsistent data, data
integrity issues, and increased complexity in data maintenance and updates. To
improve, consider using a normalized database structure to reduce redundancies
and enhance data management.
5. Identify and discuss the serious data redundancy problems exhibited by the file
structure shown in Figure P1.5.?

The file structure in Figure P1.5 shows data redundancy and inefficiencies.
Employees such as John D. Newson, David F. Schwann, and Anne R. Ramoras appear
multiple times, along with their details like EMP_NUM, JOB_CODE, JOB_CHG_HOUR,
and EMP_PHONE, leading to unnecessary duplication. Project names (PROJ_NAME)
are also repeated, further contributing to redundancy. If an employee is removed or
job codes change, multiple entries need to be updated, increasing the chance of
inconsistencies and errors. PROJ_HOURS is the only column without duplications.

CHAPTER 2:

1. Discuss the importance of data models

Communication Tool: Data models serve as a crucial communication tool, aligning

designers, programmers, and users.
• Enhanced Understanding: Well-developed data models improve understanding of an
organization's data structure.
• Universal Understanding: They provide a common language for all stakeholders,
ensuring consistent data comprehension.
• Effective Data Management: Data models help organize and manage data efficiently.
• Accommodating Diversity: They accommodate diverse user perspectives and prevent
conflicts.
• Cost Prevention: Data models prevent costly mistakes and inconsistencies in data
usage, saving resources.

2. Describe the basic features of the relational data model and discuss their
importance to the end user and the designer.
The relational data model organizes data into tables (relations) with rows (records)
and columns (attributes). It uses primary keys to uniquely identify records and
foreign keys to establish relationships between tables. Normalization reduces
 redundancy, ensuring data integrity. Constraints enforce valid data entry, improving
reliability. For end users, it simplifies data retrieval, while for designers, it ensures
efficient organization and scalability.

3. What is connectivity? (Use a Crow’s Foot ERD to illustrate connectivity.)

Connectivity in a database defines the type of relationship between two entities in
an Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD). It determines how records in one entity are
related to records in another, typically classified as one-to-one (1:1), one-to-many
(1:M), or many-to-many (M:N).
1) 1:1 Relationship – Each record in Entity A is related to only one record in Entity B.
2) 1:M Relationship – A record in Entity A can be linked to multiple records in Entity
B, but each record in Entity B is linked to only one record in Entity A.
3) M:N Relationship – Multiple records in Entity A can be linked to multiple records
in Entity B.
For example, in a Library System:
a. A book can have one author which is 1:1
b. A library can have many books which is 1:M
c. A book can be taken by many people, and a person can take many books
which is M:N

4. What are the basic characteristics of a NoSQL database?

Every time we update our shopping cart, post on social media, or send a message,
we are likely interacting with a NoSQL database. NoSQL databases are built to
handle the growing demands of modern applications and data. Here are the main
characteristics:
 • Non-relational: NoSQL databases don’t follow the traditional table-based
relational model.
• Distributed Architecture: They’re designed to work across multiple servers,
making them ideal for handling large-scale, global applications.
• Scalability: NoSQL systems can scale horizontally, which means they can easily
expand by adding more machines to handle increasing data.
• High Availability and Fault Tolerance: NoSQL databases are built to ensure
data is always available, even if parts of the system fail.
• Flexible Data Models: They can handle structured, semi-structured, and
unstructured data, making them efficient for diverse data types.
• Performance-Focused: Prioritizing speed and low latency, NoSQL databases
are optimized for fast read and write operations, even with large datasets.

5. What is logical independence?

Logical independence refers to the ability to change the logical schema of a
database without affecting the application programs or the external schema (views)
that access the data. It means that we can modify the structure of the data (such as
adding new tables, changing data types, or reorganizing how the data is
represented) without needing to update the applications that use the database. This
is a key feature of modern database management systems because it helps
maintain long-term flexibility and reduces the cost and complexity of making
changes.

6. What is physical independence?

Physical independence refers to the ability to change the physical storage of the
data (how the data is stored on the disk or the hardware used to store it) without
affecting the logical schema (the structure of the data) or the application programs
that interact with the database. It means that the way data is stored (such as
changing file structures, indexing methods, or storage devices) can be modified
without requiring any changes to the logical structure of the database or the
applications that access it.

Using Figure P2.4 as your guide, work Problems 4–5. The Deal Correlational
diagram shows the initial entities and attributes for the DealCo stores, which are
located in two regions of the country
1. Identify each relationship type and write all of the business rules.
The relational diagram above illustrates the following relationships:
a) There is a one-to-many relationship between Region and Store.
b) There is a one-to-many relationship between Store and Employee.
c) There is a one-to-many relationship between Job and Employee.
The business rules based on the above relationships are:
a) A single region can contain multiple stores.
b) Each store is located in one specific region.
c) A store can employ many employees.
d) Every employee is assigned to one store only.
e) A single job can be assigned to multiple employees.
f) Each employee can hold only one job.

2. Create the basic Crow’s Foot ERD for DealCo.

Using Figure P2.6 as your guide, work Problems 6–8. The Tiny College relational
diagram shows the initial entities and attributes for the college.

1. Identify each relationship type and write all of the business rules.

The relational diagram above demonstrates the following relationships:

a) There is a one-to-many relationship between Course and Class.

b) There is a one-to-many relationship between Class and Enroll.

c) There is a one-to-many relationship between Student and Enroll.

The business rules based on the above relationships are:

a) A course includes multiple classes.

b) Each class is linked to only one course.

c) A class can have many enrollments.

d) Each enrollment is associated with one specific class.

e) A student can have multiple enrollments.

f) Each enrollment belongs to one student only.

2. Create the basic Crow’s Foot ERD for Tiny College.

3. Create the UML class diagram that reflects the entities and relationships you
identified in the relational diagram.

4. Create a Crow’s Foot ERD to include the following business rules for the
ProdCo company:

a) Each sales representative writes many invoices.

b) Each invoice is written by one sales representative.
c) Each sales representative is assigned to one department.
d) Each department has many sales representations.
 e) Each customer can generate many invoices.
f) Each invoice is generated by one customer.

1. Write the business rules that are reflected in the ERD shown in Figure P2.17.

a) A theater screens multiple movies.

b) A movie can be shown in several theaters.
c) A movie can have many reviews.
d) Each review is associated with only one movie.
e) A reviewer can write multiple reviews.
f) Each review is written by one specific reviewer.
g) It’s important to note that the many-to-many relationship between theater and
movie must be split into two one-to-many relationships using a bridge table
before it can be implemented in a relational database.