Chapter 12

Databases
Multiple Choice
1. Facts or observations about people, places, things, or events are stored as
a) numbers
b) information
c) statistics
d) data
Answer: D
Difficulty level: Easy
age: !"#
$esponse: Data are facts or observations about people, places, things or events.
". %hich view of information deals with how the information is actually arranged,
stored, and accessed&
a) physical view
b) logical view
c) information view
d) none of the above
Answer: A
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !"#
$esponse: (he physical view focuses on the actual format and location of the
data.
!. %hich view of information focuses on the meaning and content of the data&
a) physical view
b) psychological view
c) logical view
d) information view
Answer: )
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !"#
$esponse: (he logical view focuses on the meaning and content of the data.
*. %hich of the following places the common data elements in order from the
smallest to largest&
a) character, record, field, database, file
b) character, field, record, file, database
)E+(,1"-1
c) character, field, record, database, file
d) character, file, record, field, database
Answer: ,
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !".
$esponse: )haracter, field, record, file, and database are the correct order.
/. A data field represents a0n)
a) character
b) attribute
c) record
d) entity
Answer: ,
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !".
$esponse: A data field represents an attribute 0description or characteristics) of
some entity 0person, place, thing, or ob1ect).
2. (he name of an employee would probably be which of the following common
data elements&
a) character
b) record
c) field
d) file
Answer: )
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !".
$esponse: An employee3s name would be a field.
4. %hich of the following statements concerning common data elements is true&
a) a field consists of a group of related records
b) a database consists of the data fields for a single application
c) a field consists of a grouping of files
d) a field consists of a grouping of related records
Answer: D
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !".
$esponse: A field consists of a grouping of related records.
#. )ollectively, a person3s name, address, and age would be called a
a) character
b) record
)E+(,1"-"
c) field
d) file
Answer: ,
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !!5
$esponse: )ollectively this would be a record.
.. %hat is a database&
a) a collection of information
b) organi6ed by logical structure
c) accessed by logical structure
d) all of the above
Answer: D
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !!5
$esponse: A database has all of the above characteristics.
15. A collection of related files is called a
a) character
b) database
c) field
d) record
Answer: ,
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !!5
$esponse: A database is an integrated collection of logically related records or
ob1ects.
11. %hich of the following is a collection of related records&
a) database
b) field
c) file
d) character
Answer: )
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !!5
$esponse: A file is a collection of related records.
1". 7n a database, each record is uni8uely identified by its
a) file
b) 9ey field
c) character
d) field
)E+(,1"-!
Answer: ,
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !!5
$esponse: 7n a database, each record is uni8uely identified by its 9ey field.
1!. 7n ++++++++++ processing, data is collected over a period of time.
a) batch
b) group
c) real-time
d) consignment
Answer: A
Difficulty level: Easy
age: !!5
$esponse: 7n batch processing, data is collected over several hours, days, or even
wee9s.
1*. A credit card company would most li9ely use this type of processing.
a) batch
b) group
c) real-time
d) consignment
Answer: A
Difficulty level: Easy
age: !!5
$esponse: )redit card companies use batch processing and send one statement
during the month.
1/. %hen data is processed at the same time that a transaction occurs, it is called
a) batch processing
b) group processing
c) real-time processing
d) consignment processing
Answer: )
Difficulty level: Easy
age: !!1
$esponse: $eal-time processing occurs when data is processed at the same time
the transaction occurs.
12. :aving several instances of the same data is called
a) repetition
b) duplication
c) doubling
)E+(,1"-*
d) redundancy
Answer: D
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !!"
$esponse: Data redundancy occurs when you have several instances of the same
data stored in multiple files.
14. %hich of the following is not an advantage of using a database&
a) security
b) reliability
c) sharing
d) integrity
Answer: ,
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !!!
$esponse: Advantages include sharing, security, less data redundancy, and data
integrity.
1#. (he software used to create and modify a database is called a
a) D,';
b) D,'FA
c) 'D,;
d) D',;
Answer: A
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !!!
$esponse: D,'; is software used to create, modify, and gain access to a
database.
1.. (he subsystem that controls data entry is the
a) D,'; engine
b) data definition subsystem
c) data administration subsystem
d) data manipulation subsystem
Answer: D
Difficulty level: :ard
age: !!!
$esponse: (he data manipulation subsystem controls the data entry.
"5. 7n a D,';, what performs the same functions as ;<=&
a) :('=
b) <,E
)E+(,1"-/
c) >'=
d) )?,?=
Answer: ,
Difficulty level: :ard
age: !!*
$esponse: <,E performs the same functions as ;<=.
"1. (he data manipulation subsystem can use 8uery-by-e@ample as well as
a) ;<=
b) :('=
c) >'=
d) A,A
Answer: A
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !!*
$esponse: D,'; systems can use <,E and ;<=.
"". (he D,A can create user forms and menus using the
a) data administration subsystem
b) D,'; engine
c) data definition subsystem
d) application generation subsystem
Answer: D
Difficulty level: :ard
age: !!*
$esponse: (he application generation subsystem provides tools to enable this
tas9.
"!. A parent node with several child nodes is what 9ind of relationship&
a) one-to-many
b) one-to-one
c) many-to-many
d) combined 1oin
Answer: A
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !!/
$esponse: arent node with several child nodes is a one-to-many relationship.
"*. A nationwide airline reservation system is an e@ample of this type of database
model.
a) relational model
b) hierarchical model
)E+(,1"-2
c) multidimensional model
d) ob1ect-oriented model
Answer: ,
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !!/
$esponse: A nationwide airline reservations system is an e@ample of a
hierarchical database model.
"/. 7n a networ9 database model, each child node may have more than one parent
node. (his relationship is called
a) one-to-many
b) one-to-one
c) many-to-many
d) combined 1oin
Answer: )
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !!/
$esponse: )hild node with more than one parent node is a many-to-many
relationship.
"2. A networ9 database can utili6e ++++++++++, special connections between nodes
that allow multiple connections between records.
a) connectors
b) lin9s
c) strings
d) pointers
Answer: D
Difficulty level: :ard
age: !!/
$esponse: ointers are used to connect parent nodes and child nodes.
"4. 7n this database model, there are no access paths down a hierarchy.
a) hierarchical
b) relational
c) networ9
d) ob1ect oriented
Answer: ,
Difficulty level: :ard
age: !!2
$esponse: 7n the relational model, there are no access paths down a hierarchy B
data elements are stored in different tables.
)E+(,1"-4
"#. 7n this database model, data is stored in columns and rows.
a) hierarchical
b) multidimensional
c) relational
d) networ9
Answer: )
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !!2
$esponse: 7n the relational model, data is stored in columns and rows.
".. 7n the relational database model, a column resembles a
a) character
b) record
c) file
d) field
Answer: D
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !!2
$esponse: A column represents a field within the table.
!5. %hich of the following is an advantage of using multidimensional databases&
a) smaller hard dis9 usage
b) networ9 ability
c) simpler relationships
d) intuitive conceptuali6ation
Answer: D
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !!4
$esponse: 'ultidimensional databases and hyper cubes provide users with an
intuitive model in which comple@ data and relationships can be conceptuali6ed.
!1. ++++++++++ databases store not only data but also instructions to manipulate the
data.
a) :ierarchical
b) Cetwor9
c) ?b1ect-oriented
d) 'ultidimensional
Answer: )
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !!#
$esponse: ?b1ect-oriented databases store the data and the instructions to
manipulate the data.
)E+(,1"-#
!". (his database model organi6es data using ob1ects, classes, entities, attributes, and
methods.
a) hierarchical
b) networ9
c) relational
d) ob1ect-oriented
Answer: D
Difficulty level: Easy
age: !!#
$esponse: ?b1ect-oriented models use ob1ects, classes, entities, attributes, and
methods.
!!. 7n the ob1ect-oriented database model, this term is the e8uivalent to a field in a
relational model.
a) entities
b) classes
c) methods
d) attributes
Answer: D
Difficulty level: :ard
age: !".
$esponse: Attributes are similar to fields.
!*. A microprocessor database is typically called a0n)
a) group database
b) individual database
c) company database
d) distributed database
Answer: ,
Difficulty level: Easy
age: !!.
$esponse: A microcomputer database is called an individual database.
!/. A0n) ++++++++++ database is normally shared by several employees.
a) %eb
b) company
c) individual
d) microprocessor
Answer: ,
Difficulty level: Easy
age: !!.
)E+(,1"-.
$esponse: A company database is normally shared by several employees.
!2. %hich type of database contains internal detail such as inventory and sales&
a) individual
b) %eb
c) common operational
d) common user
Answer: )
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !*5
$esponse: A common operational database contains details such as inventory,
production, and sales.
!4. A database that is held in several locations is said to be
a) distributed
b) fragmented
c) centrali6ed
d) split
Answer: A
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !*5
$esponse: Distributed databases are held in several locations.
!#. Another name for a proprietary database is
a) data warehouse
b) data mine
c) data ban9
d) data server
Answer: )
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !*5
$esponse: roprietary databases are also called data ban9s.
!.. (hese types of databases are generally enormous, and are developed by
companies to cover particular sub1ects.
a) company
b) proprietary
c) common user
d) %eb
Answer: ,
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !*5
)E+(,1"-15
$esponse: roprietary databases are generally enormous databases which have
been developed to cover a particular sub1ect.
*5. %hich of the following would most li9ely draw on a data ban9&
a) an inventory list
b) a customer database
c) a common user database
d) a stoc9 tic9er
Answer: D
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !*5
$esponse: A stoc9 tic9er, in order to gain access to a variety of financial
information.
*1. rodigy is an e@ample of this type of database.
a) company
b) individual
c) distributed
d) proprietary
Answer: D
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !*5
$esponse: rodigy is an e@ample of proprietary databases.
*". %eb databases use special interface programs to create input forms, accept your
input, and send the data to the %eb database. (ypically these programs use
a) :('=
b) D,A
c) )D7
d) D:('=
Answer: )
Difficulty level: :ard
age: !*1
$esponse: 'ost %eb databases typically use )ommon Dateway 7nterface 0)D7)
scripts.
*!. 7nformation culled from many different sources is stored in a data
a) mine
b) warehouse
c) center
d) server
Answer: ,
)E+(,1"-11
Difficulty level: Easy
age: !*"
$esponse: Data warehouses are used to store a variety of internal and e@ternal
database.
**. Discovering and e@tracting information from a data warehouse is called
a) data mining
b) data modeling
c) data retrieving
d) data culling
Answer: A
Difficulty level: Easy
age: !*"
$esponse: Data mining is used to search data warehouses loo9ing for information
and patterns.
*/. Eou would use this type of database to loo9 for information on a country3s
population and income statistics.
a) business directory
b) demographic data
c) business statistical information
d) te@t database
Answer: ,
Difficulty level: Easy
age: !*"
$esponse: Demographic databases would hold this information.
True/False
*2. 7nformation systems consist of people, procedures, software, hardware, and data.
Answer: (rue
Difficulty level: Easy
age: !"#
$esponse: 7nformation systems consist of all of these things.
*4. Facts about people, places, things, and events are stored as data.
Answer: (rue
Difficulty level: Easy
age: !"#
$esponse: Data defines facts or observations about people, places, things, and
events.
)E+(,1"-1"
*#. Data must be in the form of te@t.
Answer: False
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !"#
$esponse: Data can ta9e the form of video, photos, numbers, letters, symbols,
audio, and music.
*.. (he logical view of data focuses on the meaning and content of the data.
Answer: (rue
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !"#
$esponse: =ogical view focuses on the meaning and content of the data.
/5. A record is a set of related characters.
Answer: False
Difficulty level: Easy
age: !!5
$esponse: A record is a collection of related fields.
/1. A file is a collection of related fields.
Answer: False
Difficulty level: Easy
age: !!5
$esponse: A file is a collection of related records.
/". A database is composed of files, which are composed of records.
Answer: (rue
Difficulty level: Easy
age: !!5
$esponse: A database is a collection of logically related records or ob1ects.
/!. (he 9ey field uni8uely identifies each record.
Answer: (rue
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !!5
$esponse: 7n a database, a 9ey field uni8uely identifies each record.
/*. %ith batch processing, several operations are saved over time and then processed
at the same time.
)E+(,1"-1!
Answer: (rue
Difficulty level: Easy
age: !!5
$esponse: 7n batch processing, data is collected over time and then processed at
one time.
//. An A(' transaction is performed with batch processing.
Answer: False
Difficulty level: Easy
age: !!1
$esponse: An A(' transaction is performed with real-time processing.
/2. Data integrity indicates that data is repeated multiple times in the database.
Answer: False
Difficulty level: :ard
age: !!"
$esponse: Data redundancy indicates that data is repeated multiple times.
/4. ;haring a database can improve data integrity.
Answer: (rue
Difficulty level: :ard
age: !!!
$esponse: ;haring of databases rather than duplicating them does improve data
integrity.
/#. Eou can bloc9 off portions of a database for security reasons.
Answer: (rue
Difficulty level: Easy
age: !!!
$esponse: Diving users access only to the 9ind of information they need adds
security to the system.

/.. A D,'; allows you to create, but not modify, databases.
Answer: False
Difficulty level: Easy
age: !!!
$esponse: A D,'; allows you to create and modify a database.
25. (he D,'; engine provides a bridge between the logical and physical views of a
database.
)E+(,1"-1*
Answer: (rue
Difficulty level: :ard
age: !!!
$esponse: A D,'; engine provides a bridge between the logical view of the data
and the physical view of the data.
21. (he data thesaurus defines the logical structure of the database.
Answer: False
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !!!
$esponse: A database dictionary contains a description of the structure of data in
the database.
2". ;<= is a tool used in the data definition subsystem.
Answer: False
Difficulty level: :ard
age: !!*
$esponse: ;<= is a tool used in the data manipulation subsystem.
2!. Data entry forms are created by using the data manipulation subsystem.
Answer: False
Difficulty level: :ard
age: !!*
$esponse: Application generation subsystems are used to create data entry forms.
2*. (he level of access you have to a database is referred to as your processing rights.
Answer: (rue
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !!*
$esponse: rocessing rights involve identifying which people have access to what
9inds of data in the database.
2/. (he arrangement of data in a database is called the data model.
Answer: (rue
Difficulty level: Easy
age: !!*
$esponse: (he arrangement is data is 9nown as the data model.
22. A hierarchical database uses many-to-many relationships.
Answer: False
)E+(,1"-1/
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !!/
$esponse: (he hierarchical database uses a one-to-many relationship.
24. 7n the hierarchical database model, one parent node can spawn several child
nodes.
Answer: (rue
Difficulty level: :ard
age: !!/
$esponse: ?ne parent node can spawn several child nodes in the hierarchical
model.
2#. A networ9 database uses pointers to connect child nodes to multiple parent nodes.
Answer: (rue
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !!/
$esponse: Cetwor9 databases use pointers to ma9e the connection between parent
nodes and child nodes.
2.. A networ9 database uses only one-to-many relationships.
Answer: False
Difficulty level: :ard
age: !!/
$esponse: A networ9 database uses a many-to-many relationship.
45. Cetwor9 databases do not re8uire the use of nodes.
Answer: False
Difficulty level: :ard
age: !!/
$esponse: Cetwor9 databases do use nodes.
41. $elational database tables re8uire a 9ey field.
Answer: (rue
Difficulty level: :ard
age: !!2
$esponse: $elational database tables must have a common data item 09ey field).
4". A hyper plane is the basic data structure used in a multidimensional database.
Answer: False
Difficulty level: :ard
)E+(,1"-12
age: !!4
$esponse: A hyper cube is the basic data structure used in a multidimensional
database model.
4!. 'ultidimensional databases have a higher processing speed than traditional
relational databases.
Answer: (rue
Difficulty level: :ard
age: !!#
$esponse: Analy6ing and 8uerying a large multidimensional database is faster
than using a traditional relational database model.
4*. ?b1ect-oriented databases store data as well as instructions on manipulating the
data.
Answer: (rue
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !!#
$esponse: ?b1ect database models store data as well as the instructions on
manipulating the data.
4/. 7n an ob1ect-oriented database model, an entity is a group of similar ob1ects that
are grouped together.
Answer: False
Difficulty level: Easy
age: !".
$esponse: Entities are persons, places, things, or events to be described.
42. 7n an ob1ect-oriented database model, a method is a description of how an ob1ect3s
data is to be manipulated.
Answer: (rue
Difficulty level: Easy
age: !!#
$esponse: 'ethods are descriptions of how the data is to be manipulated.
44. ?b1ect-oriented databases can show unstructured data li9e photographs.
Answer: (rue
Difficulty level: :ard
age: !!#
$esponse: ?b1ect-oriented databases can handle unstructured data such as
photographs.
)E+(,1"-14
4#. An individual database is accessible from anywhere on the networ9.
Answer: False
Difficulty level: Easy
age: !*5
$esponse: An individual database is a private database and is normally stored on
a microcomputer.
4.. A common user database can be used by managers in order to ma9e better
decisions.
Answer: (rue
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !*5
$esponse: A common user database is used by managers to tap into information
on their microcomputers or terminals and use it for decision ma9ing.
#5. A distributed database can be held in a single file.
Answer: False
Difficulty level: Easy
age: !*5
$esponse: A distributed database is one that is located in a place or places other
than where users are located.
#1. 'ost proprietary databases are free to use.
Answer: False
Difficulty level: 'edium
age: !*5
$esponse: 'ost proprietary databases charge a fee.
#". Dow Fones provides a proprietary database with stoc9 information.
Answer: (rue
Difficulty level: Easy
age: !*5
$esponse: DowFones is a proprietary database that provides world news and
information on business, investments, and stoc9s.
#!. %eb databases usually consist of )D7 programs.
Answer: (rue
Difficulty level: :ard
age: !*1
)E+(,1"-1#
$esponse: 'ost %eb databases use a )D7 scripting program to develop input
forms.
#*. (he term Gdata miningH refers to the process of sorting through huge volumes of
data to e@tract information.
Answer: (rue
Difficulty level: Easy
age: !*"
$esponse: Data mining refers to culling through huge volumes of data to e@tract
information.
#/. A data warehouse is a logical collection of information B gathered from many
different sources. 7t is used to support business-ma9ing tas9s.
Answer: (rue
Difficulty level: Easy
age: !*"
$esponse: Data warehouses provide the ability to accomplish this.
)E+(,1"-1.