COSC4606: Chapter 6 Normalization

Assignment #3 for Quiz#3 March 4, 2014

True/False
Indicate whether the statement is true or false.
____

1. Normalization works through a series of stages called normal forms.

____

2. Normalization produces a lower normal form.

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3. Normalization should be part of the design process.

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

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5. In order to meet performance requirements, you may have to denormalize portions of the database design.

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6. Denormalization produces a lower normal form.

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7. Normalization is a very important database design ingredient and the highest level is always the most
desirable.

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

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9. Repeating groups must be eliminated by making sure that each row defines a single entity.

____ 10. Repeating groups must be eliminated by making sure that each column defines a single entity.
____ 11. Dependencies can be identified with the help of the dependency diagram.
____ 12. Dependencies that are based on only a part of a composite primary key are called transitive dependencies.
____ 13. A dependency of one nonprime attribute on another nonprime attribute is a partial dependency.
____ 14. All relational tables satisfy the 1NF requirements.
____ 15. Data redundancies are caused by the fact that every row entry requires duplication of data.
____ 16. Converting a database format from 1NF to 2NF is a complex process.
____ 17. Because a partial dependency can exist only if a table's primary key is composed of several attributes, a table
whose primary key consists of only a single attribute must automatically be in 2NF if it is in 1NF.
____ 18. A table is in 2NF if it is in 1NF and it includes no partial dependencies.
____ 19. It is possible for a table in 2NF to exhibit transitive dependency, where one or more attributes may be
functionally dependent on non-key attributes.
____ 20. A determinant is any attribute whose value determines other values within a column.

____ 21. Atomic attributes are attributes that can be further divided.
____ 22. A table is in BCNF if every determinant in the table is a candidate key.
____ 23. A table is in BCNF if every determinant in the table is a foreign key.
____ 24. A table is in fourth normal form if it is in third normal form and has no multiple sets of multivalued
dependencies.
____ 25. Normalization represents a micro view of the entities within the ERD.
____ 26. The combination of normalization and ER modeling yields a useful ERD, whose entities may now be
translated into appropriate relationship structures.
____ 27. A good relational DBMS excels at managing denormalized relations.
____ 28. The advantage of higher processing speed must be carefully weighed against the disadvantage of data
anomalies.
____ 29. Normalization purity is easy to sustain in the modern database environment.
____ 30. Unnormalized database tables often lead to various data redundancy disasters in production databases.
Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
____ 31. 1NF, 2NF, and 3NF are ____.
a. normalization stages
b. anomalies

c. repeating groups
d. atomic attributes

____ 32. From a structural point of view, 2NF is better than ____.
a. 1NF
c. 4NF
b. 3NF
d. BCNF
____ 33. Data redundancy produces ____.
a. slower lookups
b. robust design

c. efficient storage use

d. data integrity problems

____ 34. Some very specialized applications may require normalization beyond the ____.
a. 1NF
c. 3NF
b. 2NF
d. 4NF
____ 35. A(n) ____ should not be placed in a relational table.
a. entity
c. relationship
b. attribute
d. repeating group
____ 36. An attribute that is part of a key is known as a(n) ____ attribute.
a. important
c. prime
b. nonprime
d. entity

____ 37. Given the table EMP_PROJ (PROJ_NUM, EMP_NUM, PROJ_NAME, EMP_NAME, JOB_CLASS,
CHG_HOURS, HOURS), of the following,____, is a partial dependency.
a. PROJ_NUM --> PROJ_NAME
b. JOB_CLASS --> CHG_HOUR
c. PROJ_NUM, EMP_NUM --> HOURS
d. PROJ_NUM, EMP_NUM --> CHG_HOURS
____ 38. In a(n) ____ diagram, the arrows above the attributes indicate all desirable dependencies.
a. Chen
c. functionality
b. dependency
d. ER
____ 39. A table that is in 1NF and includes no partial dependencies only is said to be in ____.
a. BCNF
c. 3NF
b. 2NF
d. 4NF
____ 40. If you have three different transitive dependencies ____ different determinant(s) exist.
a. one
c. three
b. two
d. four
____ 41. Of the following ____ would be the best name for a column representing the charges per hour in a table
named JOB.
a. JOB_CHG_HOUR
c. CHARGES_PER_HOUR
b. CHARGES_PER_HOUR_FOR_JOB
d. CHG_HR
____ 42. Improving ____ leads to more flexible queries.
a. atomicity
c. denormalization
b. normalization
d. derived attributes
____ 43. The most likely data type for a surrogate key is ____.
a. Character
c. Logical
b. Date
d. Numeric
____ 44. From a strictly database point of view, ____ attribute values can be calculated when they are needed to write
reports or invoices.
a. derived
c. granular
b. atomic
d. historical
____ 45. Granularity refers to ____.
a. the size of a table
b. the level of detail represented by the values stored in a table's row
c. the number of attributes in a table
d. the number of rows in a table
____ 46. In a real-world environment, we must strike a balance between design integrity and ____.
a. robustness
c. uniqueness
b. flexibility
d. ease of use
____ 47. For most business transactional databases, we should normalize relations into ____.
a. 1NF
c. 3NF
b. 2NF
d. 6NF
____ 48. BCNF can be violated only if the table contains more than one ____ key.
a. primary
c. foreign
b. candidate
d. secondary

____ 49. A table where every determinant is a candidate key is said to be in ____.
a. BCNF
c. 3NF
b. 2NF
d. 4NF
____ 50. Most designers consider the BCNF as a special case of the ____.
a. 1NF
c. 3NF
b. 2NF
d. 4NF
____ 51. A table where all attributes are dependent on the primary key and are independent of each other, and no row
contains two or more multivalued facts about an entity, is said to be in ____.
a. 1NF
c. 3NF
b. 2NF
d. 4NF
Completion
Complete each statement.
52. 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.
53. Normalization works through a series of stages called ___________________ forms.
54. The price paid for increased performance through denormalization is a larger amount of
___________________.
55. In order to meet ___________________ requirements, you may have to denormalize some relations.
56. A relational table must not contain ____________________ groups.
57. A(n) ____________________ derives its name from the fact that a group of multiple entries of the same type
can exist for any single key attribute occurrence.
58. The problem with transitive dependencies is that they still yield data ____________________.
59. A diagram that depicts all dependencies found within a given table structure is known as a(n)
____________________.
60. A dependency based on only a part of a composite primary key is called a(n) ____________________.
61. All relational tables satisfy the ____________________ requirements.
62. Data redundancies are caused by ____________________ of data on every row entry.
63. Any attribute whose value determines other values within a row is called a(n) ____________________.
64. An attribute that cannot be further divided is said to display ____________________.
65. When a nonkey attribute is the determinant of a key attribute the table is in 3NF but not
____________________.

COSC4606 Assignment #3 for Quiz#3 March 4, 2014

Answer Section
TRUE/FALSE
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T
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153
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153
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MULTIPLE CHOICE
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A
A
D
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A

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B
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COMPLETION
52. ANS:
RDBMS
Relational Database Management System
PTS: 1
53. ANS: normal

REF: 153

PTS: 1
54. ANS: redundancy

REF: 153

PTS: 1
REF: 153
55. ANS: performance
PTS: 1
56. ANS: repeating

REF: 153

PTS: 1
REF: 157
57. ANS: repeating group
PTS: 1
58. ANS: anomalies

REF: 158

PTS: 1
REF: 160
59. ANS: dependency diagram
PTS: 1
REF: 160
60. ANS: partial dependency
PTS: 1
61. ANS:
1NF

REF: 160

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160
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174

first normal form

PTS: 1
62. ANS:
duplication
repetition

REF: 161

PTS: 1
63. ANS: determinant

REF: 161

PTS: 1
64. ANS: atomicity

REF: 163

PTS: 1
REF: 165
65. ANS:
BCNF
Boyce-Codd normal form
PTS: 1

REF: 170