DATABASE MANAGEMENT

SYSTEM

Dr. Mageshwari V
Assistant Professor
Department of Mathematics
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham
Closure of an Attribute Set-
Closure of an Attribute Set-

● The set of all those attributes which can be functionally determined from an attribute set is called as
a closure of that attribute set.
● Closure of attribute set {X} is denoted as {X}+.
Steps to Find Closure of an Attribute Set-

Following steps are followed to find the closure of an

attribute set-

Step-01:

Add the attributes contained in the attribute set for which closure is being calculated to
the result set.

Step-02:

Recursively add the attributes to the result set which can be functionally determined from the attributes
already contained in the result set.
Example-

Consider a relation R ( A , B , C , D , E , F , G ) with the functional

dependencies-

A → BC

BC → DE

D→F

CF → G

Now, let us find the closure of some attributes and

attribute sets-
Closure of attribute A-

A+ = { A }

= { A , B , C } ( Using A → BC )

= { A , B , C , D , E } ( Using BC → DE )

= { A , B , C , D , E , F } ( Using D → F )

= { A , B , C , D , E , F , G } ( Using CF → G )

Thus,

A+ = { A , B , C , D , E , F , G }
Closure of attribute D-

D+ = { D }

= { D , F } ( Using D → F )

We can not determine any other attribute using attributes D and F contained in

the result set. Thus,

D+ = { D , F }
Closure of attribute set {B, C}-

{ B , C }+= { B , C }

= { B , C , D , E } ( Using BC → DE )

= { B , C , D , E , F } ( Using D → F )

= { B , C , D , E , F , G } ( Using CF → G )

Thus,

{ B , C }+ = { B , C , D , E , F , G }
Finding the Keys Using Closure-

Super Key-

● If the closure result of an attribute set contains all the attributes of the relation, then that attribute set is
called as a super key of that relation.
● Thus, we can say-

“The closure of a super key is the entire relation schema.”

Example-

In the above example,

● The closure of attribute A is the entire relation
schema.
● Thus, attribute A is a super key for that relation.

Candidate Key-

● If there exists no subset of an attribute set whose closure contains all the attributes of the relation, then
that attribute set is called as a candidate key of that relation.
Example-

In the above example,

● No subset of attribute A contains all the attributes of
the relation.
● Thus, attribute A is also a candidate key for that
relation.
Consider the given functional
dependencies-
AB → CD

AF → D

DE →

C →G

F→E

G →

A
Solution-

Let us check each option one by

one-

Option-(A):

{ CF }+ = { C , F }

= { C , F , G } ( Using C → G )

= { C , E , F , G } ( Using F → E )

= { A , C , E , E , F } ( Using G → A )

= { A , C , D , E , F , G } ( Using AF
→D)
Candidate Key-

A set of minimal attribute(s) that can identify each tuple uniquely in the given relation is called as a
candidate key.

OR

A minimal super key is called as a candidate key.

For any given relation,

● It is possible to have multiple candidate keys.
● There exists no general formula to find the total number of candidate keys of a given relation.
Example-

Consider the following Student schema-

Student ( roll , name , sex , age , address , class , section )

Given below are the examples of candidate

keys-
● ( class , section , roll )
● ( name , address )

These are candidate keys because each set consists of minimal attributes required to identify each student
uniquely in the Student table.
Finding Candidate Keys-

We can determine the candidate keys of a given relation using the

following steps-

Step-01:

● Determine all essential attributes of the given relation.

● Essential attributes are those attributes which are not present on RHS of any functional
dependency.
● Essential attributes are always a part of every candidate key.
● This is because they can not be determined by other attributes.
 Example

Let R(A, B, C, D, E, F) be a relation scheme with the following functional

dependencies-

A→B

C →

D D

→E
Here, the attributes which are not present on RHS of any functional dependency are
A, C and F.

So, essential attributes are- A, C and F.

Step-02:

● The remaining attributes of the relation are non-essential

attributes.
● This is because they can be determined by using essential
attributes.

Now, following two cases are

possible-
Case-01:

If all essential attributes together can determine all remaining non-essential

attributes, then-
● The combination of essential attributes is the candidate key.
● It is the only possible candidate key.

Case-02:

If all essential attributes together can not determine all remaining non-essential attributes, then-
● The set of essential attributes and some non-essential attributes will be the candidate
key(s).
● In this case, multiple candidate keys are possible.
● To find the candidate keys, we check different combinations of essential and non-
essential attributes.
Let R = (A, B, C, D, E, F) be a relation scheme with the following
dependencies-

C → F

E → A

EC → D

A→B

Which of the following is a key for R?

1. CD
2. EC
3. AE
4. AC

Also, determine the total number of candidate keys and

super keys.
Step-01:

● Determine all essential attributes of the given relation.

● Essential attributes of the relation are- C and E.
● So, attributes C and E will definitely be a part of every
candidate key.
Step-02:
Now,
● We will check if the essential attributes together can determine all remaining non-
essential attributes.
● To check, we find the closure of CE.

So, we have-
{ CE }+
={C,E}
= { C , E , F } ( Using C → F )
= { A , C , E , F } ( Using E → A )
= { A , C , D , E , F } ( Using EC → D )
= { A , B , C , D , E , F } ( Using A → B )

We conclude that CE can determine all the attributes of the

given relation. So, CE is the only possible candidate key of the
relation.