Questions for Chapt.

6: 1 2 3 4 5 9 10 11 and 12

1) (DAVID) Q: What is normalization?

A: Normalization is a process for evaluating and correcting table structures to minimize data
redundancies,thereby reducing the likelihood of data anomalies (pg 165 textbook International
Edition).

2) (DAVID) Q: When is a table 1NF?

A: A table is First Normal Form(1NF) when the following three criteria are met:

1) All of the key attributes are defined.

2) There are no repeating groups in the table.
3) All attributes are dependent on the primary key.

3) (DAVID) Q: When is a table 2NF?

A: A table is Second Normal Form(2NF) when the following two criteria are met:

1) It is in 1NF.
AND
2) It includes no partial dependencies; that is, no
attribute is dependent on only a portion of the
primary key

4. (Ryan) Q: When is a table 3NF?

- A: It is in 2NF and it contains no transitive dependencies.
5. (Ryan) Q: When is a table in BCNF?
-A: When every determinant in a table is a candidate key.
9. (Ryan) Q: What is a partial dependency? with the normal form is it associated it?
- A: A partial dependency is when exists when there is a functional dependence in which
the determinant is only part of the primary key. The 2NF would be associated with partial
dependency.

10. (Z) Q. What three data anomalies are likely to be the result of data redundancy? How can
such
anomalies be eliminated?
 A.Tables can contain insertion, update, or deletion anomalies.
Normalizing the table structure will reduce the data redundancies. Splitting up tables to
divide the information into separate relational groups reduces data redundancy.

11. (Z) Q:Define and discuss the concept of transitive dependency.

-when there are functional dependencies such that X→Y, Y→Z, and X is the primary
key. X→Z is the transitive dependency because X determines the value of Z via Y. A
transitive dependency will only occur when a functional dependence exists among
nonprime attributes. A transitive dependency exist

12. (Z) Q: What is a surrogate key, and when should you use one?
- A surrogate key is a system-defined attribute generally created and managed bai the
DBMS. It is usually numeric, and its value automatically increments for each new row.
Sometimes a composite primary key may become too cumbersome to use as the number
of attributes grows or it may simply have to much descriptive content to be usable in
which case a surrogate key is used.