CS6400 Database Study Set UPDATED
Questions and CORRECT Answers
Database - CORRECT ANSWER - a collection of related data
Data - CORRECT ANSWER - Known facts that can be recorded and that have implicit
meaning
Universe of Discourse aka miniworld - CORRECT ANSWER - some aspect of the real
word which a database represents
Database Management System (DBMS) - CORRECT ANSWER - a computerized system
that enables users to create and maintain a database
Defining a database - CORRECT ANSWER - involves specifying the data types,
structures, and constraints of the data to be stored in the database
Constructing a database - CORRECT ANSWER - the process of storing the data on some
storage medium that is controlled by the DBMS
Manipulating a database - CORRECT ANSWER - includes functions such as querying the
database to retrieve specific data, updating the database to reflect changes to the miniworld, and
generating reports from the data
Sharing a database - CORRECT ANSWER - allows multiple users and programs to access
the database simultaneously
Protecting a database - CORRECT ANSWER - includes system protection against
hardware or software malfunction (or crashes) and security protection against unauthorized or
malicious access.
,Maintaining a database - CORRECT ANSWER - allowing the system to evolve as
requirements change over time
Metadata - CORRECT ANSWER - the database definition of descriptive information is
also stored by the DBMS in the form of a database catalog or dictionary
Application program - CORRECT ANSWER - accesses the database by sending queries or
requests for data to the DMBS
Query - CORRECT ANSWER - causes some data to be retrieved
Transaction - CORRECT ANSWER - Causes some data to be read and some data to be
written into the database. An executing program or process that includes one or more database
accesses, such as reading or updating of database records
Database system - CORRECT ANSWER - the database and DBMS software together
File - CORRECT ANSWER - aka table: a collection of records
Data records - CORRECT ANSWER - represents a collection of information about a
particular concept, e.g. Student
Data elements - CORRECT ANSWER - the individual components which define the
structure of a record, e.g. Student Name
Data type - CORRECT ANSWER - the type of data for each data element within a record,
e.g. alphanumeric string
Requirements specification and analysis - CORRECT ANSWER - The first phase of
designing a new application or database. During this step, the database
, designers interview prospective database users to understand and document their
data requirements
Conceptual design - CORRECT ANSWER - Can be represented and manipulated using
some computerized tools so that it can be easily maintained, modified, and transformed into a
database implementation. Step which produces a conceptual schema.
Logical design - CORRECT ANSWER - Aka data model mapping. Can be expressed in a
data model implemented in a commercial DBMS. Step which produces a database schema.
Physical design - CORRECT ANSWER - Further specifications are provided for storing
and accessing the database. Step in which the internal storage structures, file organizations,
indexes, access paths, and physical design parameters for the database files are specified
File processing - CORRECT ANSWER - each user defines and implements the files
needed for a specific software application as part of programming the application
Self-describing data - CORRECT ANSWER - includes the data item names and data
values together in one structure
Catalog - CORRECT ANSWER - a complete definition or description of the database
structure and constraints
Program-data independence - CORRECT ANSWER - where the structure of data files is
stored in the DMBS catalog separately from the access programs
Operation - CORRECT ANSWER - aka function/method: operations on data - consists of
a signature and an implementation
Data abstraction - CORRECT ANSWER - The characteristic that allows program-data
independence and program-operation independence. Refers to the suppression of details of data
Questions and CORRECT Answers
Database - CORRECT ANSWER - a collection of related data
Data - CORRECT ANSWER - Known facts that can be recorded and that have implicit
meaning
Universe of Discourse aka miniworld - CORRECT ANSWER - some aspect of the real
word which a database represents
Database Management System (DBMS) - CORRECT ANSWER - a computerized system
that enables users to create and maintain a database
Defining a database - CORRECT ANSWER - involves specifying the data types,
structures, and constraints of the data to be stored in the database
Constructing a database - CORRECT ANSWER - the process of storing the data on some
storage medium that is controlled by the DBMS
Manipulating a database - CORRECT ANSWER - includes functions such as querying the
database to retrieve specific data, updating the database to reflect changes to the miniworld, and
generating reports from the data
Sharing a database - CORRECT ANSWER - allows multiple users and programs to access
the database simultaneously
Protecting a database - CORRECT ANSWER - includes system protection against
hardware or software malfunction (or crashes) and security protection against unauthorized or
malicious access.
,Maintaining a database - CORRECT ANSWER - allowing the system to evolve as
requirements change over time
Metadata - CORRECT ANSWER - the database definition of descriptive information is
also stored by the DBMS in the form of a database catalog or dictionary
Application program - CORRECT ANSWER - accesses the database by sending queries or
requests for data to the DMBS
Query - CORRECT ANSWER - causes some data to be retrieved
Transaction - CORRECT ANSWER - Causes some data to be read and some data to be
written into the database. An executing program or process that includes one or more database
accesses, such as reading or updating of database records
Database system - CORRECT ANSWER - the database and DBMS software together
File - CORRECT ANSWER - aka table: a collection of records
Data records - CORRECT ANSWER - represents a collection of information about a
particular concept, e.g. Student
Data elements - CORRECT ANSWER - the individual components which define the
structure of a record, e.g. Student Name
Data type - CORRECT ANSWER - the type of data for each data element within a record,
e.g. alphanumeric string
Requirements specification and analysis - CORRECT ANSWER - The first phase of
designing a new application or database. During this step, the database
, designers interview prospective database users to understand and document their
data requirements
Conceptual design - CORRECT ANSWER - Can be represented and manipulated using
some computerized tools so that it can be easily maintained, modified, and transformed into a
database implementation. Step which produces a conceptual schema.
Logical design - CORRECT ANSWER - Aka data model mapping. Can be expressed in a
data model implemented in a commercial DBMS. Step which produces a database schema.
Physical design - CORRECT ANSWER - Further specifications are provided for storing
and accessing the database. Step in which the internal storage structures, file organizations,
indexes, access paths, and physical design parameters for the database files are specified
File processing - CORRECT ANSWER - each user defines and implements the files
needed for a specific software application as part of programming the application
Self-describing data - CORRECT ANSWER - includes the data item names and data
values together in one structure
Catalog - CORRECT ANSWER - a complete definition or description of the database
structure and constraints
Program-data independence - CORRECT ANSWER - where the structure of data files is
stored in the DMBS catalog separately from the access programs
Operation - CORRECT ANSWER - aka function/method: operations on data - consists of
a signature and an implementation
Data abstraction - CORRECT ANSWER - The characteristic that allows program-data
independence and program-operation independence. Refers to the suppression of details of data
