Chapter 03 The Relational Database Model

Chapter 03: The Relational Database Model
1. The practical significance of taking the logical view of a database is that it serves as a reminder of the simple file
concept of data storage.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate
REFERENCES: p.73
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: DATA.CORO.15.LO3-1 - LO3-1
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG:Analytic
TOPICS: A Logical View of Data
KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Comprehension
2. You can think of a table as a persistent representation of a logical relation.

a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
REFERENCES: p.74
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Analytic
KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Knowledge
3. The order of the rows and columns is important to the DBMS.

a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.74
4. Character data can contain any character or symbol intended for mathematical manipulation.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.75
Copyright Cengage Learning. Powered by Cognero. Page 1


5. The row’s range of permissible values is known as its domain.

a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.75
6. The idea of determination is unique to the database environment.

a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.76
TOPICS: Keys
7. Only a single attribute, not multiple attributes, can define functional dependence.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.76
TOPICS: Keys
8. If the attribute (B) is functionally dependent on a composite key (A) but not on any subset of that composite key, the
attribute (B) is fully functionally dependent on (A).
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.77
TOPICS: Keys
9. A null is created when you press the Enter key or the Tab key to move to the next entry without making a prior entry of
any kind.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.78
TOPICS: Keys
10. Depending on the sophistication of the application development software, nulls can create problems when functions
such as COUNT, AVERAGE, and SUM are used.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.78
TOPICS: Keys
11. RDBMSs enforce integrity rules automatically.

a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.80

TOPICS: Integrity Rules

12. Relational algebra defines the theoretical way of manipulating table contents using relational operators.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.82
TOPICS: Relational Algebra
13. The SELECT operator yields a vertical subset of a table.

a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.83
14. The DIFFERENCE operator subtracts one table from the other.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.85
15. In a natural join, the column on which the join was made occurs twice in the new table.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
POINTS: 1


REFERENCES: p.88
16. The DIVIDE operation uses one single-column table (e.g., column “a”) as the divisor and one two-column table (e.g.,
columns “a” and “b”) as the dividend.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.90
17. A data dictionary is sometimes described as “the database designer’s database” because it records the design decisions
about tables and their structures.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.91
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: - Analytic
TOPICS: The Data Dictionary and the System Catalog
18. The one-to-many (1:M) relationship is easily implemented in the relational model by putting the foreign key of the “1”
side in the table of the “many” side as a primary key.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.94
TOPICS: Relationships within the Relational Database
19. As rare as 1:1 relationships should be, certain conditions absolutely require their use.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.96
20. Each table in a relational database must have a primary key.

a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.73
21. _____ logic, used extensively in mathematics, provides a framework in which an assertion (statement of fact) can be
verified as either true or false.
a. Predicate b. Database
c. Relational d. Index
ANSWER: a
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.73
22. Each table _____ represents an attribute.

a. column b. row
c. dimension d. value
ANSWER: a
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.74

23. Date attributes contain calendar dates stored in a special format known as the _____ date format.
a. Epoch b. calendar
c. Julian d. logical
ANSWER: c
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.75
24. In the relational model, _____ are important because they are used to ensure that each row in a table is uniquely
identifiable.
a. relations b. keys
c. indexes d. logical structures
ANSWER: b
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.76
TOPICS: Keys
25. A _____ is any key that uniquely identifies each row.

a. superkey b. special key
c. foreign key d. candidate key
ANSWER: a
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.77
TOPICS: Keys
26. A _____ key can be described as a minimal superkey, a superkey without any unnecessary attributes.
a. secondary b. candidate
c. primary d. foreign
ANSWER: b
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.78
TOPICS: Keys
27. A _____ is the primary key of one table that has been placed into another table to create a common attribute.
a. superkey b. composite primary key
c. candidate key d. foreign key
ANSWER: d
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.79
TOPICS: Keys
28. A _____ key is defined as a key that is used strictly for data retrieval purposes.
a. lookup b. foreign
c. candidate d. secondary
ANSWER: d
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.79
TOPICS: Keys
29. Referential _____ dictates that the foreign key must contain values that match the primary key in the related table, or
must contain null.
a. integrity b. uniqueness
c. model d. attribute
ANSWER: a
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.79
TOPICS: Keys

30. The CUSTOMER table’s primary key is CUS_CODE. The CUSTOMER primary key column has no null entries, and
all entries are unique. This is an example of _____ integrity.
a. entity b. referential
c. relational d. null
ANSWER: a
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.81
TOPICS: Keys
31. The _____ constraint can be placed on a column to ensure that every row in the table has a value for that column.
a. UNIQUE b. NOT NULL
c. VALUE d. EMPTY
ANSWER: b
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.81
TOPICS: Keys
32. To be considered minimally relational, the DBMS must support the key relational operators _____, PROJECT, and
JOIN.
a. INTERSECT b. UNION
c. DIFFERENCE d. SELECT
ANSWER: d
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.82
33. _____, also known as RESTRICT, yields values for all rows found in a table that satisfy a given condition.
a. INTERSECT b. UNION
c. DIFFERENCE d. SELECT
ANSWER: d
POINTS: 1

REFERENCES: p.83
34. _____ returns only the attributes requested, in the order in which they are requested.
a. PROJECT b. SELECT
c. UNION d. DIFFERENCE
ANSWER: a
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.83
35. When two or more tables share the same number of columns, and when their corresponding columns share the same or
compatible domains, they are said to be _____.
a. intersect-compatible b. union-compatible
c. difference-compatible d. select-compatible
ANSWER: b
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.84
36. A(n) _____ join links tables by selecting only the rows with common values in their common attribute(s).
a. attribute b. unique
c. foreign d. natural
ANSWER: d
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.87
37. _____ are especially useful when you are trying to determine what values in related tables cause referential integrity
problems.
a. Inner joins b. Outer joins
c. Equijoins d. Theta joins
ANSWER: b
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.89
KEYWORDS: Bloom's Knowledge
38. A(n) _____ only returns matched records from the tables that are being joined.
a. outer join b. inner join
c. equijoin d. theta join
ANSWER: b
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.89
39. A _____ contains at least all of the attribute names and characteristics for each table in the system.
a. data dictionary b. relational schema
c. logical schema d. database
ANSWER: a
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.91
40. The _____ is actually a system-created database whose tables store the user/designer-created database characteristics
and contents.
a. database tuple b. systematic database
c. unique index d. system catalog
ANSWER: d
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.91


41. In a database context, the word _____ indicates the use of the same attribute name to label different attributes.
a. redundancy b. homonym
c. duplicate d. synonym
ANSWER: b
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.91
42. In a database context, a(n) _____ indicates the use of different names to describe the same attribute.
a. entity b. duplicate
c. synonym d. homonym
ANSWER: c
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.93
43. The _____ relationship is the “relational model ideal.”

a. 1:1 b. 1:M
c. M:1 d. M:N
ANSWER: b
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.93
44. The _____ relationship should be rare in any relational database design.
a. 1:1 b. 1:M
c. M:1 d. M:N

ANSWER: a
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.93
45. _____ relationships can be implemented by creating a new entity in 1:M relationships with the original entities.
a. 1:N b. M:1
c. M:N d. 1:1
ANSWER: c
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.93
46. Another name for a composite entity is a(n) _____ entity.

a. bridge b. linked
c. directive d. associative
ANSWER: a
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.98
47. A(n) _____ is an orderly arrangement used to logically access rows in a table.
a. primary rule b. superkey
c. relationship d. index
ANSWER: d
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.103
TOPICS: Indexes
48. When you define a table’s primary key, the DBMS automatically creates a(n) _____ index on the primary key
column(s) you declared.
a. key b. composite
c. unique d. primary
ANSWER: c
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.104
TOPICS: Indexes
49. According to Codd’s _____ rule of relational database, "Application programs and ad hoc facilities are logically
unaffected when changes are made to the table structures that preserve the original table values (changing order of
columns or inserting columns)."
a. nonsubversion b. logical data independence
c. comprehensive data sublanguage d. integrity independence
ANSWER: b
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.105
TOPICS: Codd's Relational Database Rules
50. A table is also called a(n) _____ because the relational model’s creator, E. F. Codd, used the two terms as synonyms.
ANSWER: relation
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.74
51. In a relational table, each column has a specific range of values known as the _____ domain.
ANSWER: attribute
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.74

52. In a relational model, _____ are also used to establish relationships among tables and to ensure the integrity of the
data.
ANSWER: keys
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.76
TOPICS: Keys
KEYWORDS: Knowledge
53. A primary key is a(n) _____ key chosen to be the primary means by which rows of a table are uniquely identified.
ANSWER: candidate
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.78
TOPICS: Keys
54. To avoid nulls, some designers use special codes, known as _____, to indicate the absence of some value.
ANSWER: flags
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.81
TOPICS: Integrity Rules
55. The relational operators have the property of _____; that is, the use of relational algebra operators on existing relations
(tables) produces new relations.
ANSWER: closure
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.83

56. PRODUCT yields all possible pairs of rows from two tables, also known as the _____ product.
ANSWER: Cartesian
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.86
57. _____ is the real power behind the relational database, allowing the use of independent tables linked by common
attributes.
ANSWER: JOIN
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.87
58. A(n) _____ links tables on the basis of an equality condition that compares specified columns of each table.
ANSWER: equijoin
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.89
59. A(n) ______ provides a detailed description of all tables found within the user/designer-created database.
ANSWER: data dictionary
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.91
60. The _____ catalog can be described as a detailed system data dictionary that describes all objects within the database,
including data about table names, the table’s creator and creation date, the number of columns in each table, the data type
corresponding to each column, index filenames, index creators, authorized users, and access privileges.
ANSWER: system
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.91
61. The _____ relationship is the relational database norm.

ANSWER: 1:M
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.93
62. _____ relationships cannot be implemented as such in the relational model.

ANSWER: M:N
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.93
63. If one department chair—a professor—can chair only one department, and one department can have only one
department chair. The entities PROFESSOR and DEPARTMENT exhibit a(n) _____ relationship.
ANSWER: 1:1
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.95
KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Application
64. One characteristic of generalization hierarchies is that they are implemented as _____ relationships.
ANSWER: 1:1
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.96

65. The proper use of _____ keys is crucial to controlling data redundancy.
ANSWER: foreign
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.101
TOPICS: Data Redundancy Revisited
66. Proper data _____ design requires carefully defined and controlled data redundancies to function properly.
ANSWER: warehousing
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.101
TOPICS: Data Redundancy Revisited
67. A(n) _____ index is an index in which the index key can have only one pointer value (row) associated with it.
ANSWER: unique
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.104
TOPICS: Indexes
68. An index key can have multiple _____ (a composite index).

ANSWER: attributes
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.104
TOPICS: Indexes
69. Dr. Codd’s _____ rule of relational database states that every value in a table is guaranteed to be accessible through a
combination of table name, primary key value, and column name.
ANSWER: Guaranteed Access
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.105
TOPICS: Codd's Relational Database Rules
70. What is a key and how is it important in a relational model?

ANSWER: In a relational model, keys are important because they are used to ensure that each row in a table is
uniquely identifiable. They are also used to establish relationships among tables and to ensure the
integrity of the data. A key consists of one or more attributes that determine other attributes. For
example, an invoice number identifies all of the invoice attributes, such as the invoice date and the
customer name.
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.76
LEARNING OBJE DATA.CORO.15.LO3-2 - LO3-2
CTIVES:
NATIONAL STANDUnited States - BUSPROG: Analytic
ARDS:
TOPICS: Keys
71. Define entity integrity. What are the two requirements to ensure entity integrity?
ANSWER: Entity integrity is the condition in which each row (entity instance) in the table has its own unique
identity. To ensure entity integrity, the primary key has two requirements:
(1) all of the values in the primary key must be unique.
(2) no key attribute in the primary key can contain a null.
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.78
CTIVES:
ARDS:
TOPICS: Keys
72. Describe the use of null values in a database.

ANSWER: Null values are problematic in a relational model. A null is the absence of any data value, and it is
never allowed in any part of the primary key. From a theoretical perspective, it can be argued that a
table that contains a null is not properly a relational table at all. From a practical perspective,
however, some nulls cannot be reasonably avoided. For example, not all students have a middle
initial. As a general rule, nulls should be avoided as much as reasonably possible. In fact, an
abundance of nulls is often a sign of a poor design. Also, nulls should be avoided in the database
because their meaning is not always identifiable. For example, a null could represent:
• An unknown attribute value.
• A known, but missing, attribute value.
• A “not applicable” condition.
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.78
CTIVES:
ARDS:
TOPICS: Keys
73. Describe the use of the INTERSECT operator.

ANSWER: INTERSECT yields only the rows that appear in both tables. As with UNION, the tables must be
union-compatible to yield valid results. For example, you cannot use INTERSECT if one of the
attributes is numeric and one is character-based. For the rows to be considered the same in both tables
and appear in the result of the INTERSECT, the entire rows must be exact duplicates.
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.85
CTIVES:
ARDS:
74. Define an index. Explain the role of indexes in a relational database.

ANSWER: An index is an orderly arrangement used to logically access rows in a table. From a conceptual point
of view, an index is composed of an index key and a set of pointers. The index key is, in effect, the
index’s reference point. More formally, an index is an ordered arrangement of keys and pointers. Each
key points to the location of the data identified by the key. DBMSs use indexes for many different
purposes. An index can be used to retrieve data more efficiently. Indexes can also be used by a DBMS
to retrieve data ordered by a specific attribute or attributes. For example, creating an index on a
customer’s last name will allow you to retrieve the customer data alphabetically by the customer’s last
name.
Also, an index key can be composed of one or more attributes. Indexes play an important role in
DBMSs for the implementation of primary keys. When you define a table’s primary key, the DBMS
automatically creates a unique index on the primary key column(s) you declared.
POINTS: 1
REFERENCES: p.103-104
CTIVES:
ARDS:
TOPICS: Indexes

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Chapter 03: The Relational Database Model

2. You can think of a table as a persistent representation of a logical relation.

3. The order of the rows and columns is important to the DBMS.

Copyright Cengage Learning. Powered by Cognero. Page 1

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: DATA.CORO.15.LO3-1 - LO3-1

5. The row’s range of permissible values is known as its domain.

6. The idea of determination is unique to the database environment.

11. RDBMSs enforce integrity rules automatically.

Copyright Cengage Learning. Powered by Cognero. Page 3

TOPICS: Integrity Rules

13. The SELECT operator yields a vertical subset of a table.

Copyright Cengage Learning. Powered by Cognero. Page 4

DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy

20. Each table in a relational database must have a primary key.

22. Each table _____ represents an attribute.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: DATA.CORO.15.LO3-1 - LO3-1

25. A _____ is any key that uniquely identifies each row.

Copyright Cengage Learning. Powered by Cognero. Page 8

KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Knowledge

DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy

Copyright Cengage Learning. Powered by Cognero. Page 11

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: DATA.CORO.15.LO3-5 - LO3-5

43. The _____ relationship is the “relational model ideal.”

Copyright Cengage Learning. Powered by Cognero. Page 12

46. Another name for a composite entity is a(n) _____ entity.

TOPICS: A Logical View of Data

Copyright Cengage Learning. Powered by Cognero. Page 15

61. The _____ relationship is the relational database norm.

62. _____ relationships cannot be implemented as such in the relational model.

NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Analytic

68. An index key can have multiple _____ (a composite index).

70. What is a key and how is it important in a relational model?

72. Describe the use of null values in a database.

73. Describe the use of the INTERSECT operator.

74. Define an index. Explain the role of indexes in a relational database.

Copyright Cengage Learning. Powered by Cognero. Page 21

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