Databases and DB Management Systems

Online Course
Midterm Exam
True/False
Indicate whether the sentence or statement is true or false.
____

1. A record is a single set of related fields in a table.

____

2. To start Microsoft Access, click the start button, select programs, and then click Microsoft Access.

____

3. The final outcome of a natural JOIN yields a table that provides only the copies of the un-matched pair.

____

4. In a relational table, each table must have an attribute or a combination of attributes that uniquely
identifies each row.

____

5. In a relational table, each row/column intersection represents a single data value.

____

6. The conceptual model is the basis for the description of the main data objects, avoiding details.

____

7. Attributes do not have a domain.

____

8. Designing databases without first constructing carefully considered data models that are represented by
ERDs is inadvisable.

____

9. A determinant is any attribute whose value determines other values within a row.

____ 10. A database language must enable the user to create database and table structures to perform basic data
management chores.
____ 11. A database language must enable the user to perform complex queries designed to transform the raw data
into useful information.
____ 12. Microsoft Access users can use Access QBE (query by example) query generator.
____ 13. SQL allows the use of logical restrictions on its inquiries such as OR, AND, AND NOT.
____ 14. In the detailed system design, the steps are laid out for conversion from the old to the new system.
____ 15. Because every request for structural changes requires retracing the SDLC steps, the system is always at
some stage of the SDLC.
____ 16. The advent of very sophisticated application generators and debugging tools has substantially increased
coding and testing time.
____ 17. Data integrity is enforced through the proper use of primary and foreign key rules.
____ 18. The database initial study must be accurate, but detail is not essential.
____ 19. University Computer Lab's Business Rule 1 states that each item belongs to only one inventory type, and
each inventory type may have zero, one, or many items belonging to it.
____ 20. University Computer Lab's Business Rule 2 states that an item may not be placed in use upon its arrival; it
must be stored.
____ 21. The verification process leads to modifications in the initial E-R model.

____ 22. As the revised model is developed, designers must keep in mind the often conflicting requirements of
design elegance, information requirements, and processing speed.
____ 23. If you use Visio or any similar CASE tool to design the database, you only create an entity's PK attribute
at the entity level if its relationship to its parent is defining.
____ 24. In a composite primary key based on the fields LOG_DATE, LOG_TIME, and LOG_READER, it is
assumed that it is possible for any magnetic card reader to record the same time (to the second) for more
than one entry.
____ 25. Concurrent use of design and nor malization reflects real-world practice.
Multiple Choice
Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
____ 26. Of the languages listed below, which is NOT considered a third generation language (3GL)?
a. Common Business-Oriented Language (COBOL)
b. Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code (BASIC)
c. Report Program Generator (RPG)
d. FORmula TRANslation (FORTRAN)
____ 27. Of the following, what is NOT considered Data Anomalies?
a. Inconsistency
b. Modified
c. Insertion
d. Deletion
____ 28. DBMS performs several important functions that guarantee the integrity and consistency of the data in the
database. Which of the following is NOT one of those functions?
a. Multiuser access control
b. Data integrity management
c. Database access languages
d. End of month reports
____ 29. The Hierarchical database model is based on
a. tree structure.
b. lack of a parent segment.
c. lack of a child segment.
d. none of the above
____ 30. An ad hoc query is
a.
b.
c.
d.

a pre-scheduled question.
a spur of the moment question.
a pre-planned question.
none of the above

____ 31. Database models were developed to

a. address the file system's inherent weaknesses.
b. deposit data within a single file.
c. keep data within multiple data repository.
d. allow DBMS to maintain loose control over the database activities.
____ 32. John is working in the customer table and needs to know what customers are located in Florida. To find
the information he would
a. create a new table.
b. create a new form.
c. create a new query.
d. utilize the Database Wizard.
____ 33. Each table must have
a. a primary key.
b. a secondary key.
c. a foreign key.
d. a logical key.
____ 34. In a sophistic ated application development software, nulls can create problems when using functions such
as
a. count
b. average
c. sum
d. a & c
e. a b & c
____ 35. Successful database design is first and foremost based on _____________ requirements.
a. designer
b. programmers
c. end-user
d. business
____ 36. A table that displays data redundancies yields the following anomalies:
a. update anomalies
b. insertion anomalies
c. deletion anomalies
d. all of the above
e. none of the above
____ 37. A table that is in 1NF and includes no partial dependencies only is said to be in
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

1NF.
2NF.
3NF.
4NF.
BCNF.

____ 38. A table that is in 2NF and contains no transitive dependencies is said to be in
a. 1NF.
b. 2NF.
c. 3NF.
d. 4NF.
e. BCNF.
____ 39. The SQL command that lets you insert data into a table, one row at a time, is
a. insert.
b. select.
c. commit.
d. update.
e. rollback.
____ 40. The SQL command that enables you to make changes in the data is
a. insert.
b. select.
c. commit.
d. update.
e. rollback.
____ 41. In a query command to list all the rows in which the inventory stock dates occur on or after January, 2003
using XDB, OS/2 EE Database Manager, or IBM's main frame DB2, the command will be as follows
a. SELECT P_DESCRIP, P_HAND, P_MIN, P_PRICE, P_INDATE
FROM PRODUCT
WHERE P_INDICATE >= '01/20/2002'
b. SELECT P_DESCRIP, P_HAND, P_MIN, P_PRICE, P_INDATE
FROM PRODUCT
WHERE P_INDICATE >= #01/20/2002#
c. SELECT P_DESCRIP, P_HAND, P_MIN, P_PRICE, P_INDATE
FROM PRODUCT
WHERE P_INDICATE >= '20-JAN-2002'
d. SELECT P_DESCRIP, P_HAND, P_MIN, P_PRICE, P_INDATE
FROM PRODUCT
WHERE P_INDICATE >= {01-20-2002}

____ 42. Using the data in the EMP table, how would a list of all employees with their manager's names be
generated?
a. SELECT P_DESCRIPT, P_PRICE, V_NAME, V_CONTACT, V_AREACODE,
V_PHONE
FROM PRODUCT, VENDOR
WHERE PRODUCT.V_CODE <> VENDOR.V_CODE;
ORDER BY P_PRICE;
b. SELECT P_DESCRIPT, P_PRICE, V_NAME, V_CONTACT, V_AREACODE,
V_PHONE
FROM PRODUCT, VENDOR
WHERE PRODUCT.V_CODE => VENDOR.V_CODE;
ORDER BY P_PRICE;
c. SELECT P_DESCRIPT, P_PRICE, V_NAME, V_CONTACT, V_AREACODE,
V_PHONE
FROM PRODUCT, VENDOR
WHERE PRODUCT.V_CODE <= VENDOR.V_CODE;
ORDER BY P_PRICE;
d. SELECT P_DESCRIPT, P_PRICE, V_NAME, V_CONTACT, V_AREACODE,
V_PHONE
FROM PRODUCT, VENDOR
WHERE PRODUCT.V_CODE = VENDOR.V_CODE;
ORDER BY P_PRICE;
____ 43. The coding, testing, and debugging are part of the
a. planning phase.
b. analysis phase.
c. detail system design phase
d. implementation phase
e. maintenance phase.
____ 44. The installation and fine tuning are part of the
a. planning phase.
b. analysis phase.
c. detail system design phase.
d. implementation phase.
e. maintenance phase.
____ 45. The purpose of the database initial study is to
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

analyze the company situation.

define problems and constraints.
define objectives.
define scope and boundaries.
all of the above

____ 46. Installing the DBMS, creating the database, and loading or converting the data are part of the
a. database initial study phase.
b. database design phase.
c. implementation and loading phase.
d. testing and evaluation phase.
e. operation phase.
____ 47. In spite of the fact that we sometimes are forced to revise an E-R diagram it is still possible that:
a. Some of the relationships are not clearly identified and may have been misidentified.
b. The model contains design redundancies.
c. a only
d. a and b
e. b only
____ 48. In spite of the fact that we are sometimes forced to revise an E-R diagram it is still possible that:
a. The model can be enhanced to improve semantic precision and to better represent the
operation in the real-world.
b. The model most be modified to better meet the user requirements such as processing
performance or security.
c. a only
d. a and b
e. b only
____ 49. Several indexes can be created to improve access time, such as
a. indexes created for all primary keys will increase access speed when a foreign key
references in tables is made.
b. indexes can also be created for all alternate search keys.
c. indexes can be created for all columns used in the WHERE, ORDER BY, and GROUP
BY clauses of a SELECT statement.
d. a and b
e. a, b and c
____ 50. The DBA's responsibilities should include:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

marketing the database to the organization's users.

ensuring completion of database projects within time and budget constraints.
a only
a and b
b only

Completion
Complete each sentence or statement.
51. "Raw" facts, such as telephone number, birth date, a customer name are also referred as
______________________.
52. Date attributes contain calendar dates stored in a special format known as ____________________ date
format.
53. Database designers employ data models as ______________________ tools to facilitate the interaction
among designer, the applications programmer, and the user.
54. The external model is based on the _____________________ model.
55. A(n) __________________attribute is an attribute that can be further subdivided to yield additional
attributes.
56. Cardinality expresses the ___________________ number of entity occurrences associated with one
occurrence of the related entity.
57. The Crow's Foot, Rein85, and IDEFIX models are more easily adapted to ____________________ tools
than the Chen model.
58. Converting a database format from 1NF to 2NF is very _____________________.
59. A table is in Boyce-Codd normal form (BCNF) if every determinant in the table is a(n)
_____________________ key.
60. A query command to list all the rows in which the inventory stock dates occur on or after January 20,
2003 will look like this:
SELECT P_DESCRIP, P_HAND, P_MIN, P_PRICE, P_INDATE
FROM PRODUCT
WHERE P_INDICATE >= '20-JAN-2002'
This command was written for a(n) _____________________ database.
61. The ________________________ phase includes creating the database storage structure, loading data
into the database, and providing for data management.
62. Implementation is one of the traditional ________________________ phases.
63. After testing is concluded, the final ___ is reviewed and printed, and end users are trained.
64. From a database point of view, the collection of data becomes meaningful only when the business
________________________ are defined.
65. One of the user requirements is that the system must provide security measures by using
______________________ and access rights.
66. One of the University Computer Lab's systems processes function is the ______________________
process that tracks the UCL's usage rate.
67. Verification represents the _____________________ between the database modeling-and-design
activities and the database applications design.
68. If you use Visio or any similar CASE tool to design the database, you only create an entity's PK attribute
at the entity level if its relationship to its parent is _____________________.

69. In the _____________________ design phase, the designer can specify appropriate indexes to enhance
operational speed.
70. Physical storage characteristics are a function of the _____________________ and the operating system
being used.
71. More recent versions of relational DBMS software ______________________ most of the complexities
inherent in the physical design phase.
72. The database designer must make decisions that affect data access time by fine-tuning the
_____________________ pool size, and the page frame size.
73. As organizations becomes increasingly internet-oriented, most of the database transaction interfaces tend
to become _____________________ Interfaces.
74. Several databases may exist within a database environment. Each database must have its own set of
system _____________________ and must be evaluated in terms of how it fits into the organization's
information system.
75. A database that is acceptable today may not be acceptable years from now because of rapidly changing
_____________________ needs.
Essay
76. What are some of the DBMS functions?

77. Describe date attributes, and its storage.