C175 DATA MANAGEMENT
FOUNDATIONS FINAL EXAM
COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS WITH
VERIFIED ANSWERS AND DETAILED
EXPLANATIONS. 2026/2027
1. Which of the following describes a ‘Partial Functional Dependency’ in the context of
database normalization?
A. A non-prime attribute is dependent on another non-prime attribute.
B. A non-prime attribute is dependent on only part of a composite primary key.
C. A primary key is dependent on a foreign key.
D. An attribute is dependent on the entire primary key only.
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: Partial functional dependency occurs when a non-key attribute
is functionally dependent on part of a candidate key (usually a composite key). This is the
primary violation addressed in 2nd Normal Form (2NF).
,2. In a relational model, what is the term for the number of attributes in a relation?
A. Cardinality
B. Degree
C. Domain
D. Tuple count
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: The degree of a relation refers to the number of columns
(attributes) it contains. Cardinality refers to the number of rows (tuples).
3. To satisfy Third Normal Form (3NF), a relation must first be in 2NF and then remove which
of the following?
A. Repeating groups
B. Partial dependencies
C. Transitive dependencies
D. Multi-valued attributes
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: 3NF requires that no non-prime attribute is transitively
dependent on the primary key (i.e., a non-key attribute depending on another non-key
attribute).
, 4. Which SQL command is categorized as Data Definition Language (DDL)?
A. INSERT
B. SELECT
C. UPDATE
D. ALTER
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: DDL (Data Definition Language) includes commands like
CREATE, ALTER, and DROP that define or modify the database structure. INSERT and
UPDATE are DML (Data Manipulation Language).
5. What is the primary purpose of a Foreign Key in a relational database?
A. To enforce referential integrity between two tables.
B. To improve query performance through indexing.
C. To uniquely identify each record in a table.
D. To prevent null values in a column.
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: A Foreign Key establishes a link between data in two tables,
ensuring that the value in the child table matches a value in the parent table, thereby
maintaining referential integrity.
FOUNDATIONS FINAL EXAM
COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS WITH
VERIFIED ANSWERS AND DETAILED
EXPLANATIONS. 2026/2027
1. Which of the following describes a ‘Partial Functional Dependency’ in the context of
database normalization?
A. A non-prime attribute is dependent on another non-prime attribute.
B. A non-prime attribute is dependent on only part of a composite primary key.
C. A primary key is dependent on a foreign key.
D. An attribute is dependent on the entire primary key only.
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: Partial functional dependency occurs when a non-key attribute
is functionally dependent on part of a candidate key (usually a composite key). This is the
primary violation addressed in 2nd Normal Form (2NF).
,2. In a relational model, what is the term for the number of attributes in a relation?
A. Cardinality
B. Degree
C. Domain
D. Tuple count
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: The degree of a relation refers to the number of columns
(attributes) it contains. Cardinality refers to the number of rows (tuples).
3. To satisfy Third Normal Form (3NF), a relation must first be in 2NF and then remove which
of the following?
A. Repeating groups
B. Partial dependencies
C. Transitive dependencies
D. Multi-valued attributes
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: 3NF requires that no non-prime attribute is transitively
dependent on the primary key (i.e., a non-key attribute depending on another non-key
attribute).
, 4. Which SQL command is categorized as Data Definition Language (DDL)?
A. INSERT
B. SELECT
C. UPDATE
D. ALTER
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: DDL (Data Definition Language) includes commands like
CREATE, ALTER, and DROP that define or modify the database structure. INSERT and
UPDATE are DML (Data Manipulation Language).
5. What is the primary purpose of a Foreign Key in a relational database?
A. To enforce referential integrity between two tables.
B. To improve query performance through indexing.
C. To uniquely identify each record in a table.
D. To prevent null values in a column.
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: A Foreign Key establishes a link between data in two tables,
ensuring that the value in the child table matches a value in the parent table, thereby
maintaining referential integrity.
