IT 645 - Database Management Systems
You can use any source you prefer, the text, Internet, etc. The answers should not take more than 1 - 2 paragraphs of text, please submit a word processing document, please make sure it's compatible with MS Word. This is an INDIVIDUAL effort, I want each student to complete the questions on their own, you cannot solicit help, nor can you collaborate on the answers. ANY RECOGNIZED SHARED ANSWER WILL MERIT A -0- FOR ALL PARTIES INVOLVED.
1. What are the advantages of having the DBMS between the end user's applications and the database?
2. What are some reasons for studying file systems?
3. Describe the five types of users identified in a database system.
4. What components should an implementation-ready data model contain?
5. What do business rules require to be effective?
6. Describe a conceptual model and its advantages. What is the most widely used conceptual model?
7. What are the characteristics of a relational table?
8. Describe the use of nulls in a database.
9. What is the system catalog?
10. Explain the difference between simple and composite attributes. Provide at least one example of each.
11. Explain multivalued attributes, and provide an example. How are multivalued attributes indicated in the Chen model? How are they indicated in the Crow's Foot model?
12. What is a ternary relationship? Provide some example business rules that specify the need for a ternary or higher-order relationship.
13. Describe specialization and generalization.
14. Explain the "no change over time" characteristic of a good primary key.
15. In what two cases are composite primary keys particularly useful?
16. Explain normalization and its different forms.
17. Describe a dependency diagram and explain its purpose.
18. What steps are involved in the conversion to third normal form?
19. What is a schema? How many schemas can be used in one database?
20. What is a subquery? When is it used? Does the RDBMS deal with subqueries any differently from normal queries?