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Basics of RDBMS

An RDBMS is a database management system that organizes data in rows and columns, utilizing keys to establish relationships between tables. Key concepts include primary keys for unique identification, foreign keys for linking tables, and operations like selection and projection for data retrieval. Additionally, terms such as degree, cardinality, and data redundancy are crucial for understanding database structure and integrity.

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RAJ KUMAR BHATTACHARYA
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26 views2 pages

Basics of RDBMS

An RDBMS is a database management system that organizes data in rows and columns, utilizing keys to establish relationships between tables. Key concepts include primary keys for unique identification, foreign keys for linking tables, and operations like selection and projection for data retrieval. Additionally, terms such as degree, cardinality, and data redundancy are crucial for understanding database structure and integrity.

Uploaded by

RAJ KUMAR BHATTACHARYA
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Basics of RDBMS

1. Define a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS).

Answer:
An RDBMS is a type of database management system that stores data in a structured
format using rows and columns. Each table in an RDBMS represents a relation, and
relationships between tables are established using keys such as primary and foreign keys.
RDBMSs support SQL (Structured Query Language) for querying and managing data.

2. What is a primary key? Provide an example.

Answer:
A primary key is a set of one or more attributes that can uniquely identify each tuple
(row) in a relation (table). For example, in a Student table, Student_ID can be a primary
key because each student has a unique ID.

3. Explain the concept of a foreign key with an example.

Answer:
A foreign key is an attribute in one table that links to the primary key of another table,
establishing a relationship between the two tables. For instance, in an Employee table,
Manager_ID can be a foreign key referencing Employee_ID in the same table, indicating
the manager of each employee.

4. What is a tuple in the context of a relational database?

Answer:
A tuple is a single row in a table, representing a single record in a relation. Each tuple
contains a set of attribute values corresponding to the columns of the table.

5. Define the terms 'degree' and 'cardinality' in a relation.

Answer:

• Degree: The number of attributes (columns) in a relation.


• Cardinality: The number of tuples (rows) in a relation.

6. What is the significance of a data dictionary in an RDBMS?

Answer:
A data dictionary is a repository that stores metadata, which is data about the data. It
includes information about the structure of the database, such as tables, columns, data
types, and constraints, helping in database management and ensuring data integrity.
7. Explain the concept of 'domain' in a relational database.

Answer:
A domain defines the permissible values that an attribute can take. It specifies the data
type, format, and constraints for the attribute, ensuring that only valid data is entered
into the database.

8. What is meant by 'data redundancy' in a database?

Answer:
Data redundancy refers to the unnecessary repetition of data within a database. It can
lead to inconsistencies and inefficiencies. RDBMSs aim to minimize data redundancy by
organizing data into related tables and using keys to link them.

9. Describe the 'selection' operation in relational algebra.

Answer:
The selection operation (denoted by σ) is used to retrieve rows from a relation that
satisfy a specified condition. It filters the tuples based on the given criteria. For example,
σ(Age > 25)(Employee) retrieves all employees older than 25 years.

10. What is the purpose of the 'projection' operation in relational algebra?

Answer:
The projection operation (denoted by π) is used to retrieve specific columns from a
relation, effectively creating a subset of the original relation. For example,
π(Employee_Name, Salary)(Employee) retrieves only the names and salaries of
employees.

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