Short Questions Chapter No.

1. File-processing systems have important limitations:

a) Data is separated and isolated. B) Data is often duplicated. C) Application programs are dependent on file formats.
d) All of the above. E) None of the above.

2. Database-processing programs:

a) Call the DBMS to access the stored data. b) Cannot be used by more than one person.
c) Require at least one dedicated workstation. d) Present problems with storage space.

3. In a database system, all the application data is stored in a single facility called the:

1. DBMS 2. CPU 3. Hard drive 4. Database

4. The self-describing characteristics of a database are important because:

a. They promote program/data independence.

b. If the structure of the data in the database is changed, only that change is entered in the data dictionary.
c. If the structure of the data in the database is changed, few (if any) programs will need to be changed.
d. None of the above.
e. All of the above.

5. The features and functions of a DBMS can be divided into three parts:

1. Fields, records, and files.

2. RAM, ROM, and floppy diskettes.
3. The design tools subsystem, the run-time subsystem, and the DBMS engine.
4. The file-processing subsystem, the transaction-processing subsystem, and the LAN.

6. The major purpose of a database system is to provide users with an abstract view of data. T F

7. The logical level is the lowest level of abstraction describes how the data are actually stored. T F

8. The data model is a conceptual tool for describing data, data relationship, data semantics, and consistency constraints.
T F
9. Which of the following data model described through the course of database systems?

1. Network model 2. Relational model 3. Hierarchical model 4. Object-oriented model

10. Which is of the following problems arises in the file-processing system for database application handling?

1. Data isolation
2. Integrity problems
3. Security problems
4. All of above 5. Non of the above

11. A set of programs supporting the creation, maintenance and operation of a database is called- ------------------

12. A database schema is

1. The state of a database 2. A description of the database using a specific data model
2. The content of the database 4. The collection of related data
13. A conceptual schema is a description of a database specified using a high-level data model T F

14. A carefully designed database would be

1. easier to maintain 2. More difficult to understand 3. more difficult to maintain 4. make the database overly complex

15. A database extension is

1. The state of the database 2. The data and all applications used on the data 3. The definition of the database
4. The data and all software (DBMS and applications) that process the database
5. One particular database the schema of a database

16. A data catalog stores

a. the list of various DBMSs b. data from various databases c. descriptions of database structure and constraints
d. meta-data

17. Which of the following is NOT an advantage of using databases?

a. access control b. flexibility c. controlled redundancy d. multiple user interfaces e. lower cost

18. The database lifecycle consists of

a) All different states of the database, corresponding to the operations performed on it

b) All stages starting from requirements analysis, design, implementation and maintenance of an operating database
c) Requirements analysis, conceptual, logical and physical design of the database
d) The states of the database before and after each database application has been executed on the database

19. Recording data in a way so that it is easier to find data items are called:

a. Sorting b. Searching c. Filtering d. Aggregating

20. ---------------------------- relies on either straight lines or cyclical pointers to map out the relationships between different items:

a. Hierarchical Model
b. Network Database Model
c. Relational Database Model
d. Object Oriented database Model

21. _________________ is the most important asset of any organization.

22. A telephone directory is a data source. T F

23. Notes provided to you are information source. T F

24. The data from which information can be extracted is called operate able data. T F

25. ANSI/SPARC stands for -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

26. The basic process of database design can be broken down into ---------------------- phases.

27. Selecting a smaller set of data items is called ------------------------------------------.

28. Data from orders placed by customers is an example of source of data. T F

29. The different types of database users are Application Programmer, Sophisticated user, specialized user and ----------------------.
Q. What is data redundancy and which characteristics of the file system can lead to it?

Data redundancy exists when unnecessarily duplicated data are found in the database. For example, a customer's
telephone number may be found in the customer file, in the sales agent file, and in the invoice file. Data
redundancy is symptomatic of a (computer) file system, given its inability to represent and manage data
relationships. Data redundancy may also be the result of poorly designed databases that allow the same data to
be kept in different locations. (Here's another opportunity to emphasize the need for good database design!)

Q. It is said that file systems lack data independence. Discuss.

File systems exhibit data dependence because file access is dependent on a file's data characteristics. Therefore,
any time the file data characteristics are changed, the programs that access the data within those files must be
modified. Data independence exists when changes in the data characteristics don't require changes in the
programs that access those data.

Q. What are the functions of DBMS?

A DBMS is best described as a collection of programs that manages the database structure and that control
shared access to the data in the database. Current DBMSes also store the relationships between the database
components; they also take care of defining the required access paths to those components. The functions of a
current- generation DBMS may be summarized as follows:

1. stores the definitions of data and their relationships (metadata) in a data dictionary; any changes made
are automatically recorded in the data dictionary.

2. Creates the complex structures required for data storage.

3. Transforms entered data to conform to the data structures in item 2.

4. Creates a security system and enforces security within that system.

5. Creates complex structures that allow multiple user access to the data.

6. performs backup and data recovery procedures to ensure data safety.

7. Promotes and enforces integrity rules to eliminate data integrity problems.

8. Provides access to the data via utility programs and from programming languages interfaces.

9. Provides end-user access to data within a computer network environment.

Q. What is data independence and why is it important?

Data independence exists when data access programs are not subject to change when any of the file's data
characteristics change. Data independence is important because it substantially decreases programming effort
and program maintenance costs.