INSY 3304 STUDY GUIDE 2026 EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔Existence dependency: - ✔✔if it can exist in the database only when it is associated
with another
related entity occurrence (an entity is existence-dependent if it has a mandatory foreign
key_ that is a foreign key cannot be null). Example an Employee wants to claim one or
more tax withholding purposes. the relationship EMPLOYEE claims DEPENDENT
would be a appropriate. It's impossible for the DEPENDENT to exist without apart from
the EMPLOYEE in the database
✔✔Existence independency: - ✔✔if an entity can exist apart from the all of it related
entities and it is
referred to as a STRONG OR REGULAR ENTITY
✔✔Different Normal Forms - ✔✔1NF
2NF
3NF
✔✔Table is in 1NF when - ✔✔- All key attributes are defined
- All remaining attributes are dependent on primary key
✔✔Table is in second normal form (2NF) when: - ✔✔- It is in 1NF and
- It includes no partial dependencies:
• No attribute is dependent on only portion of primary key
✔✔3NF - ✔✔Same as 2NF but no transative dependencies
✔✔Denormalization - ✔✔- Creation of normalized relations is important database
design goal
- Processing requirements should also be a goal
- If tables are decomposed to conform to normalization requirements:
Number of database tables expands
- Joining the larger number of tables reduces system speed
- Conflicts are often resolved through compromises that may include denormalization
- Defects of unnormalized tables:
Data updates are less efficient because tables are larger
Indexing is more cumbersome
No simple strategies for creating virtual tables known as views
✔✔Why denormalize? - ✔✔Tables are sometimes denormalized to yield less I/O, which
increases processing speed
✔✔What does SQL stand for? - ✔✔Structured Query Language
, ✔✔What type of language is SQL? - ✔✔Non procedural language
✔✔CREATE TABLE - ✔✔Statement to create a table
✔✔ADD - ✔✔Statement to add a column
✔✔MODIFY - ✔✔Change column characteristics
✔✔DROP - ✔✔deletes a column
✔✔Use ALTER to - ✔✔Add column
- Do not include the NOT NULL clause for new column
To drop column
- Some RDBMSs impose restrictions on thedeletion of an attribute
✔✔• View - AKA virtual table - ✔✔
✔✔• Systems Development Life Cycle (5 phases) - ✔✔Planning, Analysis, Detailed
System Design, Implementation, Maintenance
✔✔Planning Step - ✔✔yields a general overview of the company and its objectives
✔✔Analysis Step - ✔✔problems defined the planning phase are examined in the
greater detail during the
analysis phase
✔✔Detailed System Design Step - ✔✔in the detailed sys design phase, the designer
completes the design of the
sys processes.
✔✔Implementation step - ✔✔During the implementation phase, the hardware, DBMS
software, and
application programs are installed, and database design is implemented.
✔✔Maintenance step - ✔✔almost as soon as the sys is operational, end users begin to
request changes in it.
✔✔Database Life Cycle (6) - ✔✔Initial study> Database design > implementation &
loading > testing and evaluation > operation >maintenance & evolution
✔✔Database Design Steps (4) - ✔✔Conceptual, DBMS selection, Logical, Physical
✔✔Database request: - ✔✔is the equivalent of a single SQL statement in an application
program or transaction
ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔Existence dependency: - ✔✔if it can exist in the database only when it is associated
with another
related entity occurrence (an entity is existence-dependent if it has a mandatory foreign
key_ that is a foreign key cannot be null). Example an Employee wants to claim one or
more tax withholding purposes. the relationship EMPLOYEE claims DEPENDENT
would be a appropriate. It's impossible for the DEPENDENT to exist without apart from
the EMPLOYEE in the database
✔✔Existence independency: - ✔✔if an entity can exist apart from the all of it related
entities and it is
referred to as a STRONG OR REGULAR ENTITY
✔✔Different Normal Forms - ✔✔1NF
2NF
3NF
✔✔Table is in 1NF when - ✔✔- All key attributes are defined
- All remaining attributes are dependent on primary key
✔✔Table is in second normal form (2NF) when: - ✔✔- It is in 1NF and
- It includes no partial dependencies:
• No attribute is dependent on only portion of primary key
✔✔3NF - ✔✔Same as 2NF but no transative dependencies
✔✔Denormalization - ✔✔- Creation of normalized relations is important database
design goal
- Processing requirements should also be a goal
- If tables are decomposed to conform to normalization requirements:
Number of database tables expands
- Joining the larger number of tables reduces system speed
- Conflicts are often resolved through compromises that may include denormalization
- Defects of unnormalized tables:
Data updates are less efficient because tables are larger
Indexing is more cumbersome
No simple strategies for creating virtual tables known as views
✔✔Why denormalize? - ✔✔Tables are sometimes denormalized to yield less I/O, which
increases processing speed
✔✔What does SQL stand for? - ✔✔Structured Query Language
, ✔✔What type of language is SQL? - ✔✔Non procedural language
✔✔CREATE TABLE - ✔✔Statement to create a table
✔✔ADD - ✔✔Statement to add a column
✔✔MODIFY - ✔✔Change column characteristics
✔✔DROP - ✔✔deletes a column
✔✔Use ALTER to - ✔✔Add column
- Do not include the NOT NULL clause for new column
To drop column
- Some RDBMSs impose restrictions on thedeletion of an attribute
✔✔• View - AKA virtual table - ✔✔
✔✔• Systems Development Life Cycle (5 phases) - ✔✔Planning, Analysis, Detailed
System Design, Implementation, Maintenance
✔✔Planning Step - ✔✔yields a general overview of the company and its objectives
✔✔Analysis Step - ✔✔problems defined the planning phase are examined in the
greater detail during the
analysis phase
✔✔Detailed System Design Step - ✔✔in the detailed sys design phase, the designer
completes the design of the
sys processes.
✔✔Implementation step - ✔✔During the implementation phase, the hardware, DBMS
software, and
application programs are installed, and database design is implemented.
✔✔Maintenance step - ✔✔almost as soon as the sys is operational, end users begin to
request changes in it.
✔✔Database Life Cycle (6) - ✔✔Initial study> Database design > implementation &
loading > testing and evaluation > operation >maintenance & evolution
✔✔Database Design Steps (4) - ✔✔Conceptual, DBMS selection, Logical, Physical
✔✔Database request: - ✔✔is the equivalent of a single SQL statement in an application
program or transaction
