2
Entity-Relationship Model
• Introduction
• Basic Concepts
• Constraints
• Keys
• Entity-Relationship (ER) Diagram
• EER (Extended ER Modeling)
• Summary of Symbols in ER Diagram
• Alternative ER Notations
• Design Issues
2-1
, Introduction
• The entity-relationship (E-R) model is a high-level data
model based on the perception of a real world that consists of a
collection of basic objects, called entities and relationships
among these entities.
• An entity is a thing or object in the real world that is
distinguishable from other objects.
• A relationship is an association among several entities.
• Entities are described by a set of attributes.
• The set of all entities of the same type is called an entity set
and the set of all relationships of the same type is called a
relationship set.
• In this model, we use E-R diagrams to express overall logical
structure of the database. 2-2
, Basic Concepts
• The E-R model employs three basic notations: entity sets,
relationship sets, and attributes.
• Entity Sets:
An entity is a thing or object in the real world that is distinguishable
from all other objects. For example, specific person, company, event,
plant etc.
An entity has a set of properties called attributes, and the values for
some set of properties may uniquely identify an entity. For example,
people have names and addresses as attributes.
An entity set is a set of entities of the same type that share the same
properties, or attributes. For example, set of all persons, companies,
trees, holidays etc.
The individual entities that constitute a set are said to be the extension
of the entity set. Entity sets do not need to be disjoint.
2-3
, Basic Concepts
Fig: Entity sets customer and loan
2-4
Entity-Relationship Model
• Introduction
• Basic Concepts
• Constraints
• Keys
• Entity-Relationship (ER) Diagram
• EER (Extended ER Modeling)
• Summary of Symbols in ER Diagram
• Alternative ER Notations
• Design Issues
2-1
, Introduction
• The entity-relationship (E-R) model is a high-level data
model based on the perception of a real world that consists of a
collection of basic objects, called entities and relationships
among these entities.
• An entity is a thing or object in the real world that is
distinguishable from other objects.
• A relationship is an association among several entities.
• Entities are described by a set of attributes.
• The set of all entities of the same type is called an entity set
and the set of all relationships of the same type is called a
relationship set.
• In this model, we use E-R diagrams to express overall logical
structure of the database. 2-2
, Basic Concepts
• The E-R model employs three basic notations: entity sets,
relationship sets, and attributes.
• Entity Sets:
An entity is a thing or object in the real world that is distinguishable
from all other objects. For example, specific person, company, event,
plant etc.
An entity has a set of properties called attributes, and the values for
some set of properties may uniquely identify an entity. For example,
people have names and addresses as attributes.
An entity set is a set of entities of the same type that share the same
properties, or attributes. For example, set of all persons, companies,
trees, holidays etc.
The individual entities that constitute a set are said to be the extension
of the entity set. Entity sets do not need to be disjoint.
2-3
, Basic Concepts
Fig: Entity sets customer and loan
2-4