Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
Entity - CORRECT ANSWER - A thing the system needs to store data about (e.g.,
Customer, Product).
Relationship - CORRECT ANSWER - How entities are connected (e.g., a Customer
"places" an Order).
Attributes - CORRECT ANSWER - Describe the characteristics of an entity (e.g.,
Customer has Name, Address, Email).
Key Attributes - CORRECT ANSWER - Uniquely identify an instance of an entity (e.g.,
CustomerID)
Entity's identifier - CORRECT ANSWER - An attribute (or combination of attributes) that
uniquely distinguishes each instance of an entity. It's crucial for finding and referencing specific
records.
Cardinality - CORRECT ANSWER - Numerical relationship between entities:
One-to-one (1:1)
One-to-many (1:M)
Many-to-many (M:N)
Modality - CORRECT ANSWER - Whether an instance on one side of the relationship
must exist for the other side:
Mandatory (Solid line)
Optional (Circle)
Metadata - CORRECT ANSWER - "Data about data." Includes:
, Field names, data types, lengths
Descriptions, allowable values, relationships
Project Repository - CORRECT ANSWER - A centralized store for project information,
where metadata is carefully recorded.
Process used to create a data model - CORRECT ANSWER - Gather requirements
Identify entities
Define attributes
Determine relationships
Normalize
CRUD Matrix - CORRECT ANSWER - Table comparing data entities (across the top) to
processes (down the side).
Use: Cells marked with C (create), R (read), U (update), D (delete). Helps identify mismatches
between data needs and processes.
Normalization - CORRECT ANSWER - Rules for breaking down data structures to reduce
redundancy and improve integrity (1NF, 2NF, 3NF).
Benefits:
Prevents update anomalies
Saves storage space
Makes data easier to maintain
Pros of obtaining a new system through an outsourcing firm. - CORRECT ANSWER -
Access to specialized expertise
Potential cost savings