QUESTION BANK

SUBJECT : PUIT4PC03– DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

YEAR/SEM : II/IV

UNIT -I INTRODUCTION TO DATABASES

Purpose of Database System – Views of data – Data Models – Database System Architecture –
Introduction to relational databases – Relational Model – Keys –Relational Algebra-SQL
fundamentals – Advanced SQL features – Embedded SQL– Dynamic SQL- Entity Relationship
model – E-R Diagrams – Enhanced-ER Model – ER-to Relational Mapping.

1. What is database?
A database is a basic electronic storage with collection of interrelated data, organized to provide efficient
retrieval. Databases are organized by fields, records and files or tables.

2. What is DBMS?
A database management system (DBMS) is a software package designed to define, manipulate, retrieve
and manage data in a database.

3. List out some representative application of databases.

Databases are widely used. Here are some representative applications.
 Banking
 Airlines
 Universities
 Credit card transactions
 Telecommunication
 Finance
 Sales
 On-line retailers
 Manufacturing
 Human resources.

4. What is the purpose of data base system?

The primary goal of a DBMS is to provide an environment that is both convenient and efficient for people
to storing and retrieving information.
5. What are problems caused by redundancy?
The first is that storing values multiple times wastes space. The second problem is that when a field value
changes, multiple occurrences need to be updated. The third problem occurs if we forget to change the
values in any of the records. The database would then have inconsistent data.

6. Describe the three levels of data abstraction?

There are three levels of abstraction:

 Physical level
 Logical level
 View level

7. What is a physical level?

The lowest level of abstraction describes how data are stored.

8. What is a logical level?

The next higher level of abstraction describes what data are stored in database and what relationship
among those data.

9. What is a view level?

The highest level of abstraction describes only part of the entire database.

10. What is a schema?

The structure of a database system, described in a formal language supported by the database
management system (DBMS), In a relational database, the schema defines the tables, the fields in each
table, and the relationships between fields and tables. Schemas are generally stored in a data dictionary.

11. What are the different types of schemas?

 Physical Schema
 Logical Schema
 External Schema

12. What is an instance?

The collection of information stored in the database at a particular moment is called an instance of the
database.

13. What do you mean by data model?

Manipulating data, relationships between data, and constraints on the data in an organization.

14. What are the different data models?

  Relational Data Model
 The Entity-Relationship
 Data Model
 Object-Based Data Model
 Semi structured Data Model

15. What is a relational model?

The Relational model uses a collection of tables to represent both data and the relationships among those
data. Each table has multiple columns, and each column has a unique Value.

16. What is an entity-relationship model?

This data model is based on real world that consists of basic objects called entities and of relationship
among these objects. Entities are described in a database by a set of attributes.

17. What is object-based data model?

This model is based on collection of objects. An object contains values stored in instance variables
within the object. An object also contains bodies of code that operate on the object. These bodies of code
are called methods. Objects that contain same types of values and the same methods are grouped together
into classes.

18. What is a semi structured data model?

The semi structured data model permits the specification of data where individual data items of the same
type may have different sets of attributes.

19. What is Meta data?

Data dictionary contains Metadata-that is, data about data.

20. What is the use of data dictionary?

The DDL gets input as some instructions (statements) and generates some output. The output of the DDL
is placed in the data dictionary.

21. Define Relational Database.

A relational database is based on the relational model and uses a collection of tables to represent both data
and the relationships among those data. It also includes a DML and DDL.

22. What is data base design?

Database design mainly involves the design of the database schema. The design of a complete database
application environment that meets the needs of the enterprise being modelled requires attention to a
broder set of issues.

23. What is physical data independence?

Physical data independence deals with hiding the details of the storage structure from user applications.
The application should not be involved with these issues, since there is no difference in the operation
carried out against the data.

24. What are different access types in DML?

The types of access are
 Retrieval of information stored in the database
 Insertion of new information into the database
 Deletion of information from the database
 Modification of information stored in the database

25. What is a procedural DML?

Procedural DMLs require a user to specify what data are needed and how to get those data.

26. What is declarative DML?

Declarative DMLs also referred to as nonprocedural DMLs require a user to specify what data are needed
without specifying how to get those data.

27. Define Assertions

An assertion is any condition that the database must always satisfy.

28. What is storage manager?

A storage manager is a program module that provides the interface between the low-level data stored in
the database and the application programs and queries submitted to the system.

29. What are the components of storage manager?

 Authorization and integrity manager
 Transaction manager
 File manager
 Buffer manager

30. List out the data structure used to implement the storage manager.
 Data files
 Data dictionary
 Indices

31. What is the use of embedded SQL?

A fundamental principle underlying embedded SQL, which we call the dual-mode principle, is that any
SQL statement that can be used interactively can also be embedded in an application program.

PART – B
1. Explain the Characteristics and Purpose of DBMS. (13)
2. Explain the various views of Data with examples. (13)
3. Discuss all the Data Models with examples. (13)
4. Explain DBMS Architecture with an example. (13)
5. What is Procedural Query Language? Explain the various operations performed using relational
operators. (13)
6. Explain Relational Databases with examples. (13)
7. Draw a Schema and mention the various elements of the schema with examples (13) 8. Explain the
different types of keys used in DBMS. (13)
9. Explain Embedded SQL with its applications. (13)
10. Discuss the use of Dynamic SQL in DBMS in detail. (13)
11. Explain the various types of SQL commands. Discuss the features of SQL.
12. What is the notation used in E-R diagram? Explain the E-R model structure with Example. (U) (NOV
2014)
13. Develop an Entity Relationship model for a library management system. Clearly State the problem
Definition, Description, Business Rule and any assumption you make. (AP) (MAY 2009) (NOV 2014)
14. Develop an Entity Relationship model preparation staff (chef) and finalize the customer's bill. The
Food preparation staffs (Chefs), with their touch-display interfaces to the system, are able to view orders
sent to the kitchen by waiters. During preparation, they are able to let the waiter know the status of each
item, and can send notifications when items are completed. The system should have full accountability
and logging facilities, and should support Supervisor actions to account for exceptional circumstances,
such as a meal being refunded or walked out on. (AP) (Dec2015)
15.State and explain the architecture of DBMS. Draw the ER diagram for banking systems. (Home loan
Application) (13) (Nov/Dec-2017)
16. Discuss in detail the steps involved in the ER – to Relational mapping in the process of relational
database design (13)
17. What are aggregate functions? Explain five built-in aggregate functions.
UNIT -II NORMALIZATION

Functional Dependencies – Non-loss Decomposition – First, Second, Third Normal Forms,

Dependency Preservation – Boyce/Codd Normal Form – Multi-valued Dependencies and Fourth
Normal Form – Join Dependencies and Fifth Normal Form

1. What is a Functional Dependency?

A functional dependency is a relationship between two sets of attributes in a relational

database where one set of attributes uniquely determines another set of attributes. For
example, in a table of Employees, EmployeeID → EmployeeName indicates that
EmployeeID uniquely determines EmployeeName.

2. Define Non-loss Decomposition.

Non-loss decomposition is a process of decomposing a relation into two or more relations in

such a way that the original relation can be perfectly reconstructed by joining the
decomposed relations. This ensures that no data is lost during decomposition.

3. What is the First Normal Form (1NF)?

A relation is in the First Normal Form (1NF) if it only contains atomic (indivisible) values
and each column contains values of a single type. There should be no repeating groups or
arrays in a table.

4. Define the Second Normal Form (2NF).

A relation is in the Second Normal Form (2NF) if it is in 1NF and all non-key attributes are
fully functionally dependent on the primary key. This means there are no partial
dependencies of any attribute on the primary key.

5. What is the Third Normal Form (3NF)?

A relation is in the Third Normal Form (3NF) if it is in 2NF and no transitive dependencies
exist. In other words, no non-key attribute should be functionally dependent on another non-
key attribute.
 6. What is Dependency Preservation?

Dependency preservation is the property of a decomposition where all functional

dependencies in the original relation are preserved in the decomposed relations. It ensures
that the constraints implied by the functional dependencies are not lost after decomposition.

7. Explain the Boyce-Codd Normal Form (BCNF).

A relation is in Boyce-Codd Normal Form (BCNF) if it is in 3NF and for every functional
dependency X → Y, X must be a superkey. BCNF is a stricter version of 3NF.

8. What are Multi-valued Dependencies (MVDs)?

Multi-valued dependencies are a type of dependency in which one attribute in a relation

determines multiple independent values of another attribute. For example, in a relation with
attributes {A, B, C}, if A →→ B and A →→ C, then B and C are multi-valued dependencies
of A.

9. What is the Fourth Normal Form (4NF)?

A relation is in the Fourth Normal Form (4NF) if it is in BCNF and contains no non-trivial
multi-valued dependencies. This form ensures that there are no independent sets of multi-
valued attributes in a relation.

10. Define Join Dependencies.

Join dependencies specify a constraint where a relation can be reconstructed by joining

several smaller relations. It generalizes the concept of multi-valued dependencies and is a
criterion for the Fifth Normal Form (5NF).

11. What is the Fifth Normal Form (5NF)?

A relation is in the Fifth Normal Form (5NF) if it is in 4NF and every join dependency in the
relation is implied by the candidate keys. This ensures that the relation can be decomposed
into smaller relations without any loss of information and without introducing redundancy.

12. What is the difference between Trivial and Non-Trivial Functional Dependencies?

 A trivial functional dependency is when the dependent set is a subset of the determinant,
whereas a non-trivial functional dependency is when it is not.

13. Define Attribute Closure.

  Attribute closure is the set of all attributes that can be functionally determined from a
given set of attributes.

14. What is the difference between Trivial and Non-Trivial Functional Dependencies?

 A trivial functional dependency is when the dependent set is a subset of the determinant,
whereas a non-trivial functional dependency is when it is not.

15. What is a Super key?

 A super key is a set of one or more attributes that, taken collectively, can uniquely
identify a tuple in a relation.

16. Define the concept of Tuple in relational databases.

 A tuple is a single row in a table, representing a single record containing values for each
attribute.

17. Define Referential Integrity Constraint.

 Referential integrity constraint ensures that foreign keys correctly reference primary
keys, maintaining consistent data across related tables.

18. Explain the concept of Surrogate Key.

 A surrogate key is an artificial key used as a primary key, usually an auto-incremented

number, when no natural key is suitable.

19. Explain Dependency Preservation.

 Dependency preservation ensures that all functional dependencies in the original relation
are preserved in the decomposed relations.

20. What is a Candidate Key?

 A candidate key is a minimal super key; it uniquely identifies tuples and consists of the
smallest possible number of attributes.

Part – B
1. Explain Functional Dependencies with examples.
2. Describe Non-loss Decomposition and its importance.
3. Explain the First Normal Form (1NF) with an example.
4. Define the Second Normal Form (2NF) and provide an example.
5. Describe the Third Normal Form (3NF) with an example.
6. Discuss Boyce-Codd Normal Form (BCNF) with an example.
7. Define Multi-valued Dependencies (MVDs) and provide an example
8. Explain the Fourth Normal Form (4NF) with an example.
9. Describe Join Dependencies and the Fifth Normal Form (5NF) with an example.
10. What is Normalization? Explain 1NF, 2NF, 3NF, BCNF, 4NF, 5NF with examples. (13)
11. Explain various functional dependencies of an ER model with an example (13)
12. Explain the concept of Non-Loss Decomposition with an example.