Chapter 3: Database concepts I

True/False

1. Database system breaks down functional barriers

and facilitates data-sharing.

2. Records in a relational database table can share the

same primary key.

3. Data redundancy problems can be eliminated by

applying the normalisation method during the design of
the database system.

4. DBMS is indispensable in controlling multi-user

access to the database.

5. Conceptual models not only show a logical view of

what is represented in the database but they also
specify the product used for implementation.

6. A relational database has several disadvantages that

make it unsuitable for financial accounting systems.
7. A change in the business rule will result in a change
in the value of relevant cardinalities.

8. Accountants should not be involved in the process of

developing ER diagrams because doing so interferes
with the job of systems analysts and database
designers.

9. Many-to-many relationships must be resolved by

using linking entities.

10. In order to ensure efficiency, one should adopt

either the top-down approach (ER diagrams) or the
bottom-up approach (normalisation), but not both,
when designing a database.

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Multiple choice

11. Which of the following is listed in the order from

smallest to largest?

a. field, data, record, file

b. file, field, data, record
c. record, file, data, field
d. data, field, record, file

12. Which of the following is NOT an instance of data

anomalies?

a. Creation anomalies
b. Insertion anomalies
c. Deletion anomalies
d. Modification anomalies

13. Which of the following is NOT a database model?

a. Network
b. Relational
c. SQL
d. Hierarchical

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14. Which of the following statements is true?

a. Object-relational databases have the advantage

of being able to use the relational tools of SQL and
tables to be able to interrogate the database.
b. Object-oriented databases are a good model if
the database is required to store a lot of multimedia
files.
c. Relational databases are sufficient for financial
accounting systems that focus on monetary values.
d. All of the above.

15. A database system consists of:

a. Software, hardware, and data

b. Software, hardware, people and data
c. Software, hardware, procedures and data
d. Software, hardware, people, procedures and data

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16. An entity relationship diagram is a method for
depicting:

a. The logical view of a database

b. The physical view of a database
c. The relationship between the user interface and
the DBMS
d. An implementation of a client-server system.

17. Which of the following statements is true?

a. The crow's foot model is developed by Chen.

b. Symbols of the crow's foot model and Chen's
model can be mixed and matched.
c. When developing an ER diagram, one should
choose either Chen's model or the crow's foot
model to follow.
d. None of the above.

18. In an ER diagram, entities can be:

a. Physical resources
b. Events
c. Agents
d. All of the above

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19. The specific number of allowed entity occurrences
associated with a single occurrence of the related entity
by assigning a specific value to connectivity is called:

a. Ordinality
b. Degree
c. Cardinality
d. None of the above.
20. The process of developing ER diagrams is:

a. Iterative
b. Nondiscretionary
c. Linear
d. Discrete

21. The first step of developing an ER diagram is to:

a. Identify internal and external entities

b. Develop a general narrative of the organisation's
operations.
c. Find proper software for drawing ER diagrams
d. None of the above.

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22. A section of a database of products sold by a store
is depicted in the entity relationship shown below.

Based on the ER diagram, it can be conclude that:

a. A product can be supplied by more than one

supplier.
b. A supplier only supplies the store one type of
product.
c. A product can be supplied by one and only one
supplier.
d. None of the above.

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23. Based on the ER diagram in the previous question,
it can also be concluded that:

a. A product does not have to have a supplier (i.e.

it is produced internally).
b. A supplier can exist without supplying the store
any product.
c. A supplier can supply the store with many
different products.
d. None of the above.

24. Refer to the following ER diagram

The "Charges time to" shape represents a:

a. Relationship
b. Linking entity
c. Data flow
d. Attribute

25. Refer to the ER diagram. The "charges time to"

entity is a result of:

a. The resolution of a many-to-many relationship

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 b. The resolution of a one-to-many relationship
c. The resolution of a one-to-one relationship
d. None of the above

26. Which of the following statements regarding ER

diagrams is incorrect?

a. ER diagrams look at entities and their

relationships from a very detailed perspective.
b. An ER diagram is a bottom-up way of viewing
the organisation.
c. An ER diagram is a bottom-up approach of
developing a database model.
d. All of the above.

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27. Which of the following statement regarding
normalisation is incorrect?

a. Normalisation is the process of assigning

attributes to entities to eliminate repeating groups
and data redundancies.
b. The goal of normalisation is to form tables
representing entities that promote structural and
data independence.
c. Normalisation maximises the efficiency of
structure.
d. None of the above.

28. What is the highest normal form?

a. Third
b. Fourth
c. Fifth
d. Sixth

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29. Examine the following database tables:
Student Table
Student_ Student_Name Course_ID
ID

Course Table
Course_I Course_Name Course_Semes
D ter

The Course_ID in the student table is best

described as:

a. An attribute
b. A foreign key
c. A primary key
d. A composite primary key

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30. Examine the database tables below. What is the use
of the Course_ID in the student table?

Student Table
Student_ Student_Name Course_ID
ID
Course Table
Course_I Course_Name Course_Semes
D ter

a. To link the student table to the course table

b. To back up Course_ID information in the
student table
c. Both a and b
d. None of the above

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31. Examine the database tables below. If Course_ID is
removed from the student table, then when a query is
performed on the student table:

Student Table
Student_ Student_Name Course_ID
ID

Course Table
Course_I Course_Name Course_Semes
D ter

a. It is unable to determine the name of the course

related to the student
b. It is unable to determine the ID of the course
related to the student
c. It is unable to determine the course_semester
related to the student
d. All of the above.

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32. Examine the database tables below. Which of the
following statement is true?

Student Table
Student_ Student_Name Course_ID
ID

Course Table
Course_I Course_Name Course_Semes
D ter

a. The relationship between student and course is

best interpreted as 1:1
b. The relationship between student and course is
best interpreted as 1:M
c. The relationship between student and course is
best interpreted as M:N
d. None of the above.

33. Examine the database tables below. Given that the

relationship between the student and the course is 1:1,
which of the following statement is true?
Student Table
Student_ Student_Name Course_ID
ID

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Course Table
Course_I Course_Name Course_Semes
D ter

a. Only the Course_ID should be added to the

student table
b. Only the Student_ID should be added to the
student table
c. Either a or b.
d. Course_ID should be added to the student table
and Student_ID should be added to the course
table.

34. Originally, an organisation has sourced all its

products from one supplier. Now, the organisation has
changed its mind and started to source all its products
from various suppliers. This is reflected on an ER
diagram as:

a. A change in the relationship between the

organisation entity and the supplier entity.
b. A change in the cardinality associated with the
organisation-supplier relationship
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 c. A change in the number of supplier entities
d. All of the above.

35. Which of the following statements is correct:

a. Business rules dictate cardinalities in ER

diagrams
b. Cardinalities in ER diagrams dictate business
rules
c. Business rules and cardinalities in ER diagrams
are not relevant
d. None of the above.

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