Helwan University

Faculty of Engineering
Communication & Information Engineering dept.
Second Year (2007/2008) Database system

Assignment # 1

1- Define the following terms: data, database, DBMS, database system,

database catalog?
2- Discuss the main characteristics of the database approach and how it
differs from traditional file systems?
3- What are the responsibilities of the DBA and the database designers?
4- Discuss the capabilities that should be provided by a DBMS?
5- What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a DBMS?
6- Define a database structure to maintain information concerning
flights, passengers, and reservations in an airline company?
7- Construct the previous database with some sample records?
8- Identify some informal queries and update operations that you would
expect to apply to the previous database?
9- What is the difference between controlled and uncontrolled
redundancy? Illustrate with examples from the airline database?
10- Devise two different views for the airline database?