Chapter 5
Normalization of Database Tables
Database Systems: Design, Implementation, and Management
4th Edition
Peter Rob & Carlos Coronel
Database Tables and Normalization
Normalization is a process for assigning attributes to
entities. It reduces data redundancies and helps
eliminate the data anomalies.
Normalization works through a series of stages
called normal forms:
First normal form (1NF)
Second normal form (2NF)
Third normal form (3NF)
Fourth normal form (4NF)
The highest level of normalization is not always
desirable.
Database Tables and Normalization
The Need for Normalization
Case of a Construction Company
Building project -- Project number, Name,
Employees assigned to the project.
Employee -- Employee number, Name, Job
classification
The company charges its clients by billing the
hours spent on each project. The hourly billing rate
is dependent on the employees position.
Periodically, a report is generated.
The table whose contents correspond to the
reporting requirements is shown in Table 5.1.
A Table Whose Structure Matches the Report Format
Figure 5.1
Database Tables and Normalization
Problems with the Figure 5.1
The project number is intended to be a primary
key, but it contains nulls.
The table displays data redundancies.
The table entries invite data inconsistencies.
The data redundancies yield the following
anomalies:
Update anomalies.
Addition anomalies.
Deletion anomalies.
Database Tables and Normalization
Conversion to First Normal Form
A relational table must not contain repeating groups.
Repeating groups can be eliminated by adding the
appropriate entry in at least the primary key column(s).
Figure 5.2 The Evergreen Data
Data Organization: First Normal Form
Figure 5.3
Database Tables and Normalization
Dependency Diagram
The primary key components are bold, underlined, and
shaded in a different color.
The arrows above entities indicate all desirable
dependencies, i.e., dependencies that are based on PK.
The arrows below the dependency diagram indicate
less desirable dependencies -- partial dependencies
and transitive dependencies.
Figure 5.4
Database Tables and Normalization
1NF Definition
The term first normal form (1NF) describes the
tabular format in which:
All the key attributes are defined.
There are no repeating groups in the table.
All attributes are dependent on the primary key.
Database Tables and Normalization
Conversion to Second Normal Form
Starting with the 1NF format, the database can be
converted into the 2NF format by
Split the tables into separate tables.
PROJECT (PROJ_NUM, PROJ_NAME)
EMPLOYEE (EMP_NUM, EMP_NAME, JOB_CLASS,
CHG_HOUR)
ASSIGN (PROJ_NUM, EMP_NUM, HOURS)
Second Normal Form (2NF) Conversion Results
Figure 5.5
Database Tables and Normalization
2NF Definition
A table is in 2NF if:
It is in 1NF and
It includes no partial dependencies; that is, no
attribute is dependent on only a portion of the
primary key.
(It is still possible for a table in 2NF to exhibit transitive
dependency; that is, one or more attributes may be
functionally dependent on nonkey attributes.)
Database Tables and Normalization
Conversion to Third Normal Form
Create a separate table with attributes in a
transitive functional dependence relationship.
PROJECT (PROJ_NUM, PROJ_NAME)
ASSIGN (PROJ_NUM, EMP_NUM, HOURS)
EMPLOYEE (EMP_NUM, EMP_NAME, JOB_CLASS)
JOB (JOB_CLASS, CHG_HOUR)
Database Tables and Normalization
3NF Definition
A table is in 3NF if:
It is in 2NF and
It contains no transitive dependencies.
Figure 5.6
The Completed Database
