WGU-C175: Fundamentals of Database Management Systems Final
Exam Actual Questions With Detailed rationales
Course Code: C175
Course Name: Fundamentals of Database Management Systems
Topic: Objective Assessment Core Exam Prep & Architecture Guide
Academic Year: 2026/2027
1. A database administrator is designing a relational database for a university
registrar's office. The database must track student enrollments across various
course sections. Which database architecture component represents a logical
framework that describes the types of data, relationships, and operational
constraints, independent of any physical storage mechanisms?
A. The physical storage subsystem layout.
B. The conceptual or logical schema configuration.
C. The internal storage index clustering configuration.
D. The external user viewport projection.
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATIONALE: In database design, the logical schema defines the
structural layout of the database, including tables, columns, data types,
, primary keys, foreign keys, and integrity constraints. This layer provides
logical independence by abstracting the business rules away from how data
is physically arranged on disk. Distractors A and C describe physical
database structures (internal level) that deal with block sizes, indexing
strategies, and hardware execution. Distractor D describes the external level
(views) tailored for specific end-user interfaces.
2. A system analyst is mapping an e-commerce platform where a single
customer can place many orders, but each individual order must belong
to exactly one customer. Which structural database entity configuration
describes this semantic mapping arrangement?
A. A many-to-many (M:N) relationship requiring an associative entity.
B. A one-to-many (1:M) relationship where the primary key of the
Customer table is placed as a foreign key in the Order table.
C. A one-to-one (1:1) relationship where both tables share a single unified
primary key.
D. A unary recursive relationship mapping identical structural records to
themselves.
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATIONALE: This scenario describes a classic one-to-many (1:M)
relationship. To enforce this relationship in a relational model, the primary
key from the "one" side (Customer) is copied into the "many" side (Order)
as a foreign key. This design allows an individual customer to link to
multiple orders while ensuring that each order traces back to exactly one
unique customer record. Distractor A is incorrect because a many-to-many
layout requires a bridge/associative table to resolve the relationship.
Distractor C describes a 1:1 format. Distractor D describes a recursive loop
(e.g., an employee managing another employee).
3. During a system migration, an applications engineer must ensure that a
relational database satisfies entity integrity. Which operational rule must
the database management system enforce to guarantee entity integrity across
all relational tables?
A. Every foreign key must exactly match a valid primary key in a parent
table or be set to null.
B. Every table must have a designated primary key, and the column or
columns making up that primary key cannot contain null values.
, C. All data values within a given column must conform strictly to the
defined data type domain.
D. Tables must be broken down into individual tables to eliminate all multi-
valued dependencies.
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATIONALE: Entity integrity is a fundamental relational constraint
stating that primary key values cannot be null, and they must be unique.
This rule ensures that every row within a table represents a distinct,
identifiable entity instance. Distractor A defines referential integrity, which
governs foreign key relationships. Distractor C describes domain integrity.
Distractor D describes the goal of Fourth Normal Form (4NF).
4. A database designer is creating a Crow’s Foot notation Entity-Relationship
Diagram (ERD). They need to model an environment where an Employee
can be assigned to zero or one Office, while an Office can contain zero to
many Employees. Which structural cardinality symbols must be drawn on
the Employee side of the relationship line?
A. A solid double vertical line signifying a mandatory one condition.
B. A circle and a crow's foot branch signifying an optional many
condition.
C. A circle and a single vertical line signifying an optional one condition.
D. A double circle signifying a composite attribute state.
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATIONALE: In Crow's Foot notation, cardinality symbols show the
minimum and maximum instances allowed. The question asks for the
symbols on the Employee side. Since an Office can contain zero to many
Employees, the minimum cardinality is zero (represented by a circle) and
the maximum cardinality is many (represented by a crow's foot). Distractor
A represents a mandatory one condition. Distractor C represents an optional
one condition. Distractor D is an incorrect notation form; attributes are not
drawn on relationship lines.
, 5. While optimizing an operational sales database, a developer evaluates a table
containing redundant attributes. They notice that the table satisfies Second
Normal Form (2NF) but contains a transitive dependency, where a non-
prime attribute determines another non-prime attribute. To eliminate this
anomaly, which normal form must the table be converted into?
A. First Normal Form (1NF).
B. Third Normal Form (3NF).
C. Boyces-Codd Normal Form (BCNF).
D. Fourth Normal Form (4NF).
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATIONALE: A table is in Third Normal Form (3NF) if it is already
in 2NF and contains no transitive dependencies (meaning no non-prime
attribute determines another non-prime attribute). To fix a transitive
dependency, the designer must remove the transitively related columns and
place them into a separate, new lookup table. Distractor A requires removing
multi-valued attributes. Distractor C (BCNF) requires that every determinant
be a superkey. Distractor D (4NF) removes multi-valued dependencies.
6. An analyst is reviewing a raw spreadsheet of inventory data that has atomic
values but includes repeating groups and composite rows within fields.
What is the minimum normal form step required to organize this
unnormalized raw data into a valid relational database format?
A. First Normal Form (1NF), by removing repeating groups, ensuring
data values are atomic, and establishing a unique primary key.
Exam Actual Questions With Detailed rationales
Course Code: C175
Course Name: Fundamentals of Database Management Systems
Topic: Objective Assessment Core Exam Prep & Architecture Guide
Academic Year: 2026/2027
1. A database administrator is designing a relational database for a university
registrar's office. The database must track student enrollments across various
course sections. Which database architecture component represents a logical
framework that describes the types of data, relationships, and operational
constraints, independent of any physical storage mechanisms?
A. The physical storage subsystem layout.
B. The conceptual or logical schema configuration.
C. The internal storage index clustering configuration.
D. The external user viewport projection.
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATIONALE: In database design, the logical schema defines the
structural layout of the database, including tables, columns, data types,
, primary keys, foreign keys, and integrity constraints. This layer provides
logical independence by abstracting the business rules away from how data
is physically arranged on disk. Distractors A and C describe physical
database structures (internal level) that deal with block sizes, indexing
strategies, and hardware execution. Distractor D describes the external level
(views) tailored for specific end-user interfaces.
2. A system analyst is mapping an e-commerce platform where a single
customer can place many orders, but each individual order must belong
to exactly one customer. Which structural database entity configuration
describes this semantic mapping arrangement?
A. A many-to-many (M:N) relationship requiring an associative entity.
B. A one-to-many (1:M) relationship where the primary key of the
Customer table is placed as a foreign key in the Order table.
C. A one-to-one (1:1) relationship where both tables share a single unified
primary key.
D. A unary recursive relationship mapping identical structural records to
themselves.
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATIONALE: This scenario describes a classic one-to-many (1:M)
relationship. To enforce this relationship in a relational model, the primary
key from the "one" side (Customer) is copied into the "many" side (Order)
as a foreign key. This design allows an individual customer to link to
multiple orders while ensuring that each order traces back to exactly one
unique customer record. Distractor A is incorrect because a many-to-many
layout requires a bridge/associative table to resolve the relationship.
Distractor C describes a 1:1 format. Distractor D describes a recursive loop
(e.g., an employee managing another employee).
3. During a system migration, an applications engineer must ensure that a
relational database satisfies entity integrity. Which operational rule must
the database management system enforce to guarantee entity integrity across
all relational tables?
A. Every foreign key must exactly match a valid primary key in a parent
table or be set to null.
B. Every table must have a designated primary key, and the column or
columns making up that primary key cannot contain null values.
, C. All data values within a given column must conform strictly to the
defined data type domain.
D. Tables must be broken down into individual tables to eliminate all multi-
valued dependencies.
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATIONALE: Entity integrity is a fundamental relational constraint
stating that primary key values cannot be null, and they must be unique.
This rule ensures that every row within a table represents a distinct,
identifiable entity instance. Distractor A defines referential integrity, which
governs foreign key relationships. Distractor C describes domain integrity.
Distractor D describes the goal of Fourth Normal Form (4NF).
4. A database designer is creating a Crow’s Foot notation Entity-Relationship
Diagram (ERD). They need to model an environment where an Employee
can be assigned to zero or one Office, while an Office can contain zero to
many Employees. Which structural cardinality symbols must be drawn on
the Employee side of the relationship line?
A. A solid double vertical line signifying a mandatory one condition.
B. A circle and a crow's foot branch signifying an optional many
condition.
C. A circle and a single vertical line signifying an optional one condition.
D. A double circle signifying a composite attribute state.
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATIONALE: In Crow's Foot notation, cardinality symbols show the
minimum and maximum instances allowed. The question asks for the
symbols on the Employee side. Since an Office can contain zero to many
Employees, the minimum cardinality is zero (represented by a circle) and
the maximum cardinality is many (represented by a crow's foot). Distractor
A represents a mandatory one condition. Distractor C represents an optional
one condition. Distractor D is an incorrect notation form; attributes are not
drawn on relationship lines.
, 5. While optimizing an operational sales database, a developer evaluates a table
containing redundant attributes. They notice that the table satisfies Second
Normal Form (2NF) but contains a transitive dependency, where a non-
prime attribute determines another non-prime attribute. To eliminate this
anomaly, which normal form must the table be converted into?
A. First Normal Form (1NF).
B. Third Normal Form (3NF).
C. Boyces-Codd Normal Form (BCNF).
D. Fourth Normal Form (4NF).
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATIONALE: A table is in Third Normal Form (3NF) if it is already
in 2NF and contains no transitive dependencies (meaning no non-prime
attribute determines another non-prime attribute). To fix a transitive
dependency, the designer must remove the transitively related columns and
place them into a separate, new lookup table. Distractor A requires removing
multi-valued attributes. Distractor C (BCNF) requires that every determinant
be a superkey. Distractor D (4NF) removes multi-valued dependencies.
6. An analyst is reviewing a raw spreadsheet of inventory data that has atomic
values but includes repeating groups and composite rows within fields.
What is the minimum normal form step required to organize this
unnormalized raw data into a valid relational database format?
A. First Normal Form (1NF), by removing repeating groups, ensuring
data values are atomic, and establishing a unique primary key.
