UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE (UoPeople)

CS 2203-01 - Databases 1

Lutalo Martin

BSc. Computer Science

CS 2203-01 - AY2025-T4 / Programming Assignment Unit 3

Instructor Baraka Laiza

01st May 2025

Part a: Definition of Normalization in DBMS

Normalization is a methodical process in database management systems (DBMS) that can reduce

redundancy in data, while at the same time improving overall data integrity by structuring tables

efficiently (GeeksforGeeks, 2024). In normalization, a relation is taken and divided into smaller,

interrelated tables that are based on functional dependencies. The intent in normalization is to

enable data operations including insert, update, and delete while, simultaneously, it is paramount

to resolve anomalies (Allen, 2024).

Why is normalization essential?

 Eliminates redundancy: Prevents unnecessary duplication of data.

 Ensures consistency: Avoids anomalies in database transactions (CBT Nuggets, 2021).

 Optimizes queries: Structured tables enhance retrieval speed (StudyTonight, n.d.).

Part b: Normalizing the library database

The original unnormalized relation:

Books(Book_ID,Title,Author,Genre,Publisher,Publication_Year,ISBN,Price)Books (Book\_ID,

Title, Author, Genre, Publisher, Publication\_Year, ISBN, Price)

has repeating groups, meaning it doesn’t comply with First Normal Form (1NF).

Step 1: Converting to 1NF

Requirement: Remove duplicate records and ensure atomicity.

 Issue: A single book can have multiple authors and genres.

1. Books(Book_ID, Title, Publisher, Publication_Year, ISBN, Price)

2. Authors(Book_ID, Author)

3. Genres(Book_ID, Genre)

Now, all attributes hold single values per row.

Step 2: Converting to 2NF

Requirement: Remove partial dependencies.

 Issue: In Authors(Book_ID, Author) and Genres(Book_ID, Genre), Book_ID is a partial

key, causing partial dependency.

 Solution: Create separate tables:

1. Books(Book_ID, Title, Publisher, Publication_Year, ISBN, Price)

2. Authors(Author_ID, Name)

3. Book_Authors(Book_ID, Author_ID)

4. Genres(Genre_ID, Name)

5. Book_Genres(Book_ID, Genre_ID)

Now, no attribute is dependent on part of the primary key.

Step 3: Converting to 3NF

Requirement: Remove transitive dependencies.

exist in a separate entity.

 Solution: Introduce a Publisher table:

1. Publishers(Publisher_ID, Publisher_Name)

2. Books(Book_ID, Title, Publisher_ID, Publication_Year, ISBN, Price)

No non-key attribute depends on another non-key attribute.

Step 4: Converting to BCNF

Requirement: Ensure every determinant is a key.

 Issue: Suppose a publisher controls ISBN assignment independently.

 Solution: Introduce a separate relationship table:

1. Books(Book_ID, Title, Publisher_ID, Publication_Year, Price)

2. ISBNs(ISBN, Book_ID)

Now, every functional dependency follows the BCNF rules.

Part c: Explanation of functional dependencies and their resolution

Functional dependencies define the relationship between attributes in a database. They ensure

that each attribute depends entirely on a key attribute, avoiding redundancy and anomalies.
Functional dependencies addressed at each stage

Normal Functional dependencies resolved Solution applied

Form

1NF Book_ID → (Title, Author, Genre, Split multi-valued Author into a

Publisher, Publication_Year, ISBN, separate table.

Price)

2NF Book_ID → Publisher, Separate Publisher and Genre into

Publication_Year (partial dependency different tables.

if Genre depends on Title)

3NF Publisher → Publication_Year (transitive Move Publisher to its own table

dependency) with Publisher_ID.

BCNF ISBN → Title (non-candidate key Create a separate Book_Titles table

dependency) where ISBN is the key.

Part d: Advantages of higher normal forms (3NF and BCNF)

1. Eliminates data redundancy efficiently

 By separating data into smaller, well-structured tables, duplicate data storage is

minimized. For example, instead of storing publisher details within multiple book

entries, we maintain a separate Publishers table linked via foreign keys

(GeeksforGeeks, 2024).
  This saves storage space and prevents inconsistencies in duplicate records (CBT

Nuggets, 2021).

2. Improves data integrity

 Higher normal forms enforce stronger integrity rules, ensuring accurate

relationships between entities (Allen, 2024).

 For instance, separating ISBNs into a separate table in BCNF ensures that each

book has exactly one ISBN, preventing accidental duplicate ISBN entries.

3. Prevents update, insert, and delete anomalies

 In lower forms (such as 1NF or 2NF), modifying a piece of data might require

multiple changes across the database, leading to update anomalies (StudyTonight,

n.d.).

 Example: If the publisher’s contact information changes, BCNF ensures that this

update happens in only one table, rather than modifying multiple rows in a Books

table.

4. Improves query optimization

 Since data is divided into smaller, highly relevant tables, indexing becomes more

efficient, enabling faster searches (GeeksforGeeks, 2024).

 Example: Searching for all books by a specific author is quicker when a separate

"Book_Authors" table exists, rather than scanning through an unstructured Books

table with multiple authors per row.

5. Supports scalability and future expansion

well-normalized structure makes integration easier (CBT Nuggets, 2021).

 Example: If a new eBook category is introduced, BCNF allows smooth adaptation

by adding a new format table, rather than modifying a cluttered Books table.

Drawbacks of higher normal forms (3NF and BCNF)

1. Increased complexity in query joins

 Since normalization splits data into multiple tables, queries often require complex

joins to retrieve all relevant information (GeeksforGeeks, 2024).

 Example: Instead of retrieving book details from one table, joining Books,

Authors, and Publishers tables increases computation time.

2. Higher computational overhead

 Maintaining relationships via foreign keys requires additional storage and index

management, making inserts and updates slower in highly normalized databases

(StudyTonight, n.d.).

 Example: Every new book entry involves inserting data into multiple related

tables (Book, Author, Publisher), increasing processing load.

3. Potential overuse in certain applications

 Not all databases require strict normalization; for transaction-heavy databases

(like e-commerce platforms or real-time analytics), some redundancy can improve

speed (Allen, 2024).

excessive joins during product recommendations.

4. Greater administrative complexity

 Database administrators must carefully manage dependencies, relationships, and

indexing, adding to the complexity of database maintenance (CBT Nuggets,

2021).

 Example: If a new data category is introduced, re-normalization might require

modifying multiple existing relationships across tables.

Allen, M. (2024, December 30). DBMS Normalization: 1NF, 2NF, 3NF Database example.

Guru99. https://www.guru99.com/database-normalization.html

CBT Nuggets. (2021, August 15). How to normalize a database Table [Video]. YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siiYInWniFs

GeeksforGeeks. (2024, December 28). Normalization process in DBMS. GeeksforGeeks.

https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/normalization-process-in-dbms/

Normalization in DBMS - 1NF, 2NF, 3NF, BCNF, 4NF and 5NF | StudyTonight. (n.d.).

https://www.studytonight.com/dbms/database-normalization.php

Brown, F. (2024, June 28). Functional Dependency in DBMS: What is, Types and Examples.

Guru99. https://www.guru99.com/dbms-functional-dependency.html