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Introduction To Databases

This document defines key database concepts and terms such as tables, records, fields, primary keys, foreign keys, and data types. It explains that a database is an organized collection of related information and examples include telephone books and recipe books. A table contains records, which are rows of related fields or columns of data. A primary key uniquely identifies each record while a foreign key links tables. Common data types stored in fields include text, numbers, dates, currency, and images.

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Lexi Rich
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27 views

Introduction To Databases

This document defines key database concepts and terms such as tables, records, fields, primary keys, foreign keys, and data types. It explains that a database is an organized collection of related information and examples include telephone books and recipe books. A table contains records, which are rows of related fields or columns of data. A primary key uniquely identifies each record while a foreign key links tables. Common data types stored in fields include text, numbers, dates, currency, and images.

Uploaded by

Lexi Rich
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Information Technology

Introduction to
Database Management
Specific Objectives
● Explain the concept of a database
● Definition of key database terms
● Definition of database keys
➢Primary key
➢Secondary key or Alternate key
➢Composite key
➢Candidate key
➢Foreign key
What is a Database?
⦿An organized collection of Information
⦿Examples of common databases:
-Telephone book
-Mailing List
-Recipe book
-Book shelf
⦿In Ms Access database is a set of an organized
collection of related information to a specific purpose
or topic.
⦿It includes tools needed to work with data:
-Sorting
-Extracting
-Summarizing
Database Hierarchy
Database

Table

Record

Fields

Byte

Bit
Database Terminology - Table
● Table - is a collection of related records, made of a set
of rows and columns. Also called a relation.
Database Terminology - Record
● Record – is a row of data , or a collection of related
fields in a database. For example:

First name Lastname Address City Cust_ID


Kevin Nevers 2 Rose St Kingston 220

● Tuple – is a row of data in relational databases. It


gives details about a particular entity. For example:
(Kevin, Nevers, 2 Rose St,Kingston,220)
Database Terminology - Field
⦿Field – is a single column in a database table that
stores data. Also referred to as an attribute in a
database For example :
Field 1 Field 2 Field 3 Field 4 Field 5

Firstname Lastname Address City Cust_ID


Kevin Nevers 2 Rose St Kingston 220

This record consists of Five(5) fields or columns.


One item of data such as the actual address is called a
Data value
Database Terminology
● Byte – is a group of eight bits, usually representing a
single character.
● An example of a byte is: 11000001 which represents
the letter “A”
● Bit – is an acronym for binary digit. It can be a value
of 1 or 0.
Primary Keys
● Primary Key – A unique field that is used to identify
each record in a database table.
● The Cust_ID OR the TRN are both unique. Any of the
two fields can be assigned as the primary key.
Other Keys - Candidate Key
● Candidate Key - a field that could possibly act as the
primary key for the table.
● Customer information table the candidate keys are
Cust_ID and TRN number( because they both unique).
Other Keys - Composite Key
● Composite Key - a primary key that consists of two or
more fields together.
● In the table below observe that a course may be
offered several times for the year and more than one
lecturer teaches a particular course.
●
CourseID Semester Lecturer Room_No Year
M10A Spring Brown SSLT 2005
M10A Summer Forbes N5 2004
M10A Spring Smith SSLT 2004
EC21A Spring Forbes IFLT 2005
EC21A Summer Brown IFLT 2004
Other Keys - Secondary or Alternate
Key
● Secondary or Alternate Key - a candidate key that has
not been selected as the primary key.
● In this table the Cust_ID key was selected as the
Primary key and as result the secondary key is TRN
number.
Other Keys – Foreign Key
❑Foreign Key - a field in a table that is has been
linked with the primary key field of another table
.
❑ In the example below, the DVD ID in the
orders table is a foreign key because it is the
primary key in the DVD Inventory table.
Microsoft Access Data Types
Data Type Description
Text Use for text or combinations of text
and numbers. 255 characters
maximum

Memo Memo is used for larger amounts of


text. Stores up to 65,536
characters. Note: You cannot sort a
memo field. However, they are
searchable

Currency Use for currency. Holds up to 15


digits of whole dollars, plus 4 decimal
places. Tip: You can choose which
country's currency to use
Microsoft Access Data Types
Data Type Description

AutoNumber AutoNumber fields automatically give


each record its own number, usually
starting at 1

Date/Time Use for dates and times

Yes/No A logical field can be displayed as


Yes/No, True/False, or On/Off. In code,
use the constants True and False
(equivalent to -1 and 0).Note: Null
values are not allowed in Yes/No fields
Microsoft Access Data Types
Data type Description
Number Used to store numbers with or
without decimal places.

Ole Object Can store pictures, audio, video, or


other BLOBs (Binary Large OBjects)

Hyperlink Contain links to other files, including


web pages

Lookup Wizard Let you type a list of options, which can


then be chosen from a drop-down list
Microsoft Access Data Types
● Number data type can have the following formats:

Number format Description


Byte Allows whole numbers from 0 to 255

Integer Allows whole numbers between


-32,768 and 32,767
Long Integer Allows whole numbers between
-2,147,483,648 and 2,147,483,647
Single Single precision floating-point. Will
handle most decimals
Double Double precision floating-point. Will
handle most decimals
Decimal Allows numbers from -9.999…x
1027 to 9.999… x 1027 with
decimal places
Conclusion
● Every field has a data type. A field's data type indicates
the kind of data that the field stores, such as large
amounts of text or attached files.
Conclusion
A data type is a field property, but it differs from other
field properties as follows:
● You set a field's data type in the table design grid, not
in the Field Properties pane.
● A field's data type determines what other properties the
field has.
● You must set a field's data type when you create the
field.
 
Questions???
Credits/ References

Adapted/modified from the Information


Technology
Database Management Workshop 2012
Presentation by:
Mrs. Collins-Robinson

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