Key Terms

Example of Data on its own- 130515 means nothing

You need to add format/structure and context to data
for it to make sense this gives the data meaning.
e.g.
130515= data
13/05/15 = data with format/ structure which now tells
us this is a date
13/05/15 = this is the date of the ICT exam next year.
If we know what data means we have information

Equation = Data + Meaning =

Information
Record building what to use
Height = real
Age = Integer
Hair Colour = Alphanumeric
Eye Colour = Alphanumeric
Gender = Boolean
The information school stores about me are kept in a
record as part of a database.
Each piece of the information they keep about me is
stored in a field.

Two examples of fields used by school to store my

information are integer and Boolean.

1.A key field is a piece of data in a database

that is unique to a particular record.
2. An example is a pupils number which would
be set up so that each pupil is allocated with
a different number when they join the school.
3.So that they can easily find pupils data and
so pupils can log into the network.
4.Flat file database are of limited use and are
only suitable for very simple databases.
5.An advantage of it is that it is very simple as
it only contains one table of data.
6.Disadvantages are that there is a lot of
duplicate data in the file/table and also if the
record is deleted then the useful data may
also be deleted.
7.A relational data base stores the data in more
than one table.

8. Advantages are it handles a lot of data and

is efficient. Not repetitive.
9.Disadvantages are it is more complex to
make need more expertise.
Key field A unique piece of data in a record also
known as a primary key.
Flat File A database which consists of only one
table.
Relational Database A database which consists
of more than one table.