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Theoretical Assignment Database Systems

This document contains 7 theoretical database assignment problems. Problem 1 asks to write an assertion statement for a constraint that products of different kinds cannot have the same model number. Problem 2 asks to write an assertion statement for a constraint relating printers and PCs by the same maker. Problem 3 asks to write a relational algebra query to find PCs faster and with more ram than laptops by the same manufacturer. Problem 4 asks to write a query to find manufacturers whose laptops should be avoided because another laptop exists with better specs and lower price. Problem 5 asks about schedule serializability. Problems 6 and 7 ask about functional dependencies, keys, and normal forms related to a given database schema.

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36 views

Theoretical Assignment Database Systems

This document contains 7 theoretical database assignment problems. Problem 1 asks to write an assertion statement for a constraint that products of different kinds cannot have the same model number. Problem 2 asks to write an assertion statement for a constraint relating printers and PCs by the same maker. Problem 3 asks to write a relational algebra query to find PCs faster and with more ram than laptops by the same manufacturer. Problem 4 asks to write a query to find manufacturers whose laptops should be avoided because another laptop exists with better specs and lower price. Problem 5 asks about schedule serializability. Problems 6 and 7 ask about functional dependencies, keys, and normal forms related to a given database schema.

Uploaded by

smoethwtort
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Theoretical Assignment

DATABASE SYSTEMS

For problems 14, we use the following relational schema:


Product(maker, model, category)
PC(model, speed, ram, hd, price)
Laptop(model, speed, ram, hd, screen, price)
Printer(model, color, type, price)
where attribute names should be self-explanatory. The constraints are as follows:
model is the key for all relations.
The only possible values of category are PC, laptop, and printer.
The only possible values of type are laser and ink-jet.
Every PC, laptop or printer must be referenced in relation Product.
Problem 1 (10 marks) Write an assertion statement for the following constraint: Products of different kinds cannot
have the same model number. For example, a PC and a laptop cannot have the same model number, nor can a printer
and a laptop, etc.
Problem 2 (10 marks) Write an assertion statement for the following constraint: For every PC, there is a laser
printer, and a color ink-jet printer, by the same maker.
Problem 3 (15 marks). Write the following query in relational algebra (you may use , , , , , and renaming
of attributes. Renaming of relations, and the linear notation from the text are not allowed).
Find PCs that are faster and have more ram than all the laptops by the same manufacturer (maker).
Do not assume that the assertions of the first two problems are valid.
Problem 4 (15 marks). Write a relational algebra query that finds manufacturers (makers) whose laptops ought
to be avoided. That is, for every laptop they make, there is another one, by a different manufacturer, that has a
faster processor, more ram, a larger screen, and costs less.
The rules stated in Problem 3 apply.
Problem 5 (10 marks) Is the following schedule conflict serializable? Explain why. If it is, give an equivalent
serial schedule.
T1
write(X)

T2

T3

T4

read(X)
write(Y)
read(Y)
read(X)
read(Y)
write(Y)
write(X)

Problem 6 (20 marks) Consider the following database schema. Its attributes are
A, B, C, D, E, F, G
and FDs are

AB
BG
AEF
ABG
CF
A
AD
AC

CF
C
C
ED
AE
CG
F EG
B

Each of the questions is worth 5 marks.


1. Find the candidate keys and the prime attributes of this schema.
2. Compute the minimum cover of this schema.
3. Produce a 3NF decomposition.
4. Produce a BCNF decomposition of this schema. Is it dependency-preserving? Explain why.
Problem 7 (20 marks) A set X of attributes is an antikey if it is not a key, but every proper superset Y of X is
a key (recall that Y is a proper superset of X if X Y and Y 6= X). Is the following true: an attribute is prime if
and only if it does not belong to at least one antikey.
If it is true, provide a proof; if it is false, give a counterexample. The maximum length of your answer is 13 lines in
at least 11pt font, if you type, or equivalent for handwritten assignments. Longer answers will automatically receive
0 marks.

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