Chapter 5

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.

5  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

5 


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 employee’s position.
 Periodically, a report is generated.
 The table whose contents correspond to the
reporting requirements is shown in Table 5.1.
5
 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

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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.

5 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

5
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

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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

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converted into the 2NF format by
 Writing each key component on a separate line, and
then writing the original key on the last line and
 Writing the dependent attributes after each new key.

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:

5 


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

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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:

5
 It is in 2NF and
 It contains no transitive dependencies.
5 Figure 5.6
The Completed Database
 Database Tables and Normalization
 Boyce-Codd Normal Form (BCNF)
 A table is in Boyce-Codd normal form (BCNF) if every

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determinant in the table is a candidate key.
(A determinant is any attribute whose value determines
other values with a row.)
 If a table contains only one candidate key, the 3NF and
the BCNF are equivalent.
 BCNF is a special case of 3NF.
 Figure 5.7 illustrates a table that is in 3NF but not in
BCNF.
 Figure 5.8 shows how the table can be decomposed to
conform to the BCNF form.
 A Table That Is In 3NF But Not In BCNF

5
Figure 5.7
 The Decomposition of a Table Structure to Meet
BCNF Requirements

Figure 5.8
 Sample Data for a BCNF Conversion

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Table 5.2
 Decomposition into BCNF

5
Figure 5.9
 Database Tables and Normalization
 BCNF Definition
 A table is in BCNF if every determinant in that

5
table is a candidate key. If a table contains only
one candidate key, 3NF and BCNF are equivalent.
 Normalization and Database Design
 Database Design and Normalization Example:
(Construction Company)

5
 Summary of Operations:
 The company manages many projects.
 Each project requires the services of many employees.
 An employee may be assigned to several different projects.
 Some employees are not assigned to a project and perform
duties not specifically related to a project. Some
employees are part of a labor pool, to be shared by all
project teams.
 Each employee has a (single) primary job classification.
This job classification determines the hourly billing rate.
 Many employees can have the same job classification.
 Normalization and Database Design
 Two Initial Entities:
PROJECT (PROJ_NUM, PROJ_NAME)

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EMPLOYEE (EMP_NUM, EMP_LNAME, EMP_FNAME,
EMP_INITIAL, JOB_DESCRIPTION,
JOB_CHG_HOUR)

Figure 5.10 The Initial ERD for a Contracting Company

 Normalization and Database Design
 Three Entities After Transitive Dependency
Removed

5 PROJECT (PROJ_NUM, PROJ_NAME)

EMPLOYEE (EMP_NUM, EMP_LNAME, EMP_FNAME,
EMP_INITIAL, JOB_CODE)
JOB (JOB_CODE, JOB_DESCRIPTION, JOB_CHG_HOUR)
 The Modified ERD For A Contracting Company

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Figure 5.11
 Normalization and Database Design
 Creation of the Composite Entity ASSIGN

Figure 5.12 The Final (Implementable) ERD for the Contracting Company
 Normalization and Database Design
 Attribute ASSIGN_HOUR is assigned to the
composite entity ASSIGN.

5  “Manages” relationship is created between

EMPLOYEE and PROJECT.

PROJECT (PROJ_NUM, PROJ_NAME, EMP_NUM)

EMPLOYEE (EMP_NUM, EMP_LNAME, EMP_FNAME,
EMP_INITIAL, EMP_HIREDATE, JOB_CODE)
JOB (JOB_CODE, JOB_DESCRIPTION,
JOB_CHG_HOUR)
ASSIGN (ASSIGN_NUM, ASSIGN_DATE, PROJ_NUM,
EMP_NUM, ASSIGN_HOURS)
 The Relational Schema For The Contracting Company

Figure 5.13
 Higher-Level Normal Forms
 4NF Definition
 A table is in 4NF if it is in 3NF and has no multiple sets

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of multivalued dependencies.

Figure 5.14 Tables with Multivalued Dependencies

 A Set of Tables in 4NF

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Figure 5.15
 Denormalization
 Normalization is only one of many database design
goals.

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 Normalized (decomposed) tables require additional
processing, reducing system speed.
 Normalization purity is often difficult to sustain in the
modern database environment. The conflict between
design efficiency, information requirements, and
processing speed are often resolved through
compromises that include denormalization.
 The Initial 1NF Structure

Figure 5.16
 Identifying the Possible PK Attributes

Figure 5.17
 Table Structures Based On The Selected PKs

Figure 5.18