Introduction to Databases

CT042-3-1-IDB

Lecture 6: Entity Relationship Model

(Part 1)
 Topic & Structure of The
Lesson

• Components of ER model
• Types of attributes
• Connectivity and Cardinality

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 Learning
Outcomes

• At the end of this topic, You should be able to

– Explain the main characteristics of entity relationship components
– Explain how relationships between entities are defined and refined and how those
relationships are incorporated into the database design process
– Describe how ERD components affect database design and implementation

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 Key Terms You Must Be Able To Use

• If you have mastered this topic, you should be able to use the following
terms correctly in your assignments and exams:
– Weak Entity
– Derive Attribute
– Domain
– Single value & Multi value attribute
– Composite primary key

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 In this chapter, you will learn:

• The main characteristics of entity relationship components

• How relationships between entities are defined and refined and how
those relationships are incorporated into the database design process
• How ERD components affect database design and implementation

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 The Entity Relationship (ER) Model

• ER model forms the basis of an ER diagram

• ERD represents conceptual database as viewed by end user
• ERDs depict database’s main components:
– Entities
– Attributes
– Relationships

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 Entities

• Refers to entity set and not to single entity

occurrence
• Corresponds to table and not to row in
relational environment
• In both Chen and Crow’s Foot models,
entity is represented by rectangle
containing entity’s name
• Entity name, a noun, is usually written in
capital letters

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 Attributes

• Characteristics of entities
• In Chen model, attributes are represented by ovals and are
connected to entity rectangle with a line
• Each oval contains the name of attribute it represents
• In Crow’s Foot model, attributes are written in attribute box below
entity rectangle

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 Attributes (continued)

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 Domains

• Attributes have domain

– Domain is attribute’s set of possible values
• Attributes may share a domain

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 Identifiers (Primary Keys)

• Underlined in the ERD

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 Composite Primary Keys

• Primary keys ideally composed of only single attribute

• Possible to use a composite key
– Primary key composed of more than one attribute

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 Composite Primary Keys
(continued)

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 Composite and Simple Attributes

• Composite attribute can be subdivided

• Simple attribute cannot be subdivided

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 Single-Valued Attributes

• Single-value attribute can have only a single value

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 Multivalued Attributes

• Multivalued attributes can have many values

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 Multivalued Attributes (continued)

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 Resolving Multivalued Attribute Problems
(continued)

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 Resolving Multivalued Attribute Problems
(continued)

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 Resolving Multivalued Attribute Problems
(continued)

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 Derived Attributes

• Attribute whose value may be calculated (derived) from other

attributes
• Need not be physically stored within database
• Can be derived by using an algorithm

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 Derived Attributes (continued)

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 Derived Attributes (continued)

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 Relationships

• Association between entities

• Participants are entities that participate in a relationship
• Relationships between entities always operate in both directions
• Relationship can be classified as 1:M
• Relationship classification is difficult to establish if know only one side of
the relationship

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 Connectivity and Cardinality

• Connectivity
– Used to describe the relationship classification
• Cardinality
– Expresses minimum and maximum number of entity occurrences associated with
one occurrence of related entity
• Established by very concise statements known as business rules

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 Connectivity and Cardinality
(continued)

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 Weak Entities

• Weak entity meets two conditions

– Existence-dependent
• Cannot exist without entity with which it has a relationship
– Has primary key that is partially or totally derived from parent entity
in relationship
• Database designer usually determines whether an entity can be
described as weak based on business rules

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 Weak Entities (continued)

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 Weak Entities (continued)

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 Quick Review Question

• Provide 1 example of derived attribute

• Provide 1 example of weak entity
• Provide 1 example of single-value attribute
• Provide 1 example of multi-value attribute

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 Summary of Main Teaching Points

• Derived attribute
• Weak entity
• Simple attribute
• Composite attribute
• Single-value attribute
• Multi-value attribute

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 Question and Answer
Session

Q&A

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 What we will cover next

• ERD notation
• Relationship Participation
• Relationship Degree
• Composite Entities

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