DBA 110 D63

Chapter 2

1. What is a relation?

A relation is a two dimensional table that has single entries, distinct names, and the order is
not important. All of the values in a column are values of the same attribute.

2. What is a relational database?

A relational database is a collection of relations.

3. What is an unnormalized relation? Is it a relation according to the definition of the word

relation?

An unnormalized relation is a structure that satisfies all the properties of a relation except the
restriction that entries must be single valued.

No, It is not a relation according to the definition.

4. How is the term attribute used in the relational model? What is a more common name
for attribute?

In the relational model an attribute is a property of an entity. Attribute is another term for a
column in a table. It is also commonly called a field.

5. Describe the shorthand representation of the structure of a relational database,

illustrate the technique by representing the database for Henry Books as shown in Chapter
1.

The shorthand representation is shown with the entity or name of the table inside parenthesis
and each table is listed on its own line.

Branch (BranchNum, BranchName, BranchLocation)

Publisher (PublisherCode, PublisherName, City)

Author (AuthorNum, AuthorLast, AuthorFirst)

Book (BookCode, Title, AuthorNum, PublisherCode, Type, PaperBook)

Wrote (BookCode, AuthorNum, Sequence)

Copy (BookCode, BranchNum, CopyNum, QualityPrice)

6. What does it mean to qualify a field name? How would you qualify the street field in the
customer table?

Qualify the fieldname when you combine a column name with a table name. To qualify the
street field in the customer table you would type customer street.

7. What is a primary key? What is the primary key for each table in the Henry Books
database shown in CH. 1?

A primary key is a unique identifier of a row in a table. The primary key for each table in the
Henry Books database is.

Branch – BranchNum

Publisher – PublisherCode

Author – AuthorNum

Book – BookCode

Wrote – BookCode

Copy – BookCode

8. How o you include a field in n access query?

To include a field in an access query you double click the field in the field list to place it in
the design grid.

9. How do you indicate Criteria in an access query?

You must include the field on the design grid and then enter the criteria the row where
“criteria” is listed.
10. How do you and AND criterion to combine criteria in an access query? How do you use
an OR criterion to combine criteria?

To use AND criterion you would place the condition in the criteria field on a different row for
each field.

To use OR criterion you would place the condition in the criteria field on a different row for
each field.