Database Normalization Quiz

Database Normalization Goals

• The main goal of normalization is to organize database tables to minimize redundancy and prevent anomalies during data operations.

Problems Associated with Extreme Normalization

• Extreme normalization can lead to complex queries and may degrade the performance of applications relying on the database due to excessive joins between tables.

First Normal Form (1NF)

• 1NF focuses on eliminating repeating groups within database tables, ensuring that each column contains atomic values.

Data Redundancy

• Data redundancy refers to the unnecessary duplication of data in a database, which can lead to inconsistencies and wasted storage space.

Space Wastage Anomaly

• Unnecessary data duplication resulting from poor design leads to space wastage, classified as a data anomaly.

Performance Impacts of Extreme Normalization

• Extensive normalization can negatively affect application performance by increasing the number of joins required in queries, slowing down data retrieval processes.

Purpose of First Normal Form (1NF)

• The purpose of 1NF is to ensure that each piece of data can be uniquely identified and that tables have a clear structure without repeating groups.

Conditions for Second Normal Form (2NF)

• A table is in 2NF if it is in 1NF and all non-key attributes are fully functionally dependent on the primary key.

Functional Dependency

• A functional dependency, represented as X → Y, indicates a relationship where the value of attribute Y is determined by the value of attribute X.

Candidate Key

• A candidate key in a table is a minimal set of attributes that can uniquely identify each tuple or record within that table.

Purpose of Denormalization

• Denormalization is used to improve database performance by intentionally introducing redundancy and reducing the complexity of data retrieval operations.

Primary Key Dependency

• Each column in a table must depend directly on the primary key to satisfy the conditions for Second Normal Form (2NF).

Concepts for Fourth and Fifth Normal Forms

• Fourth Normal Form (4NF) and Fifth Normal Form (5NF) are based on the concepts of multivalued dependencies and join dependencies, respectively.

Non-Prime Attribute

• A non-prime attribute is an attribute that does not belong to any candidate key of the table, being dependent on candidate keys.

Functional Dependency's Role

• Functional dependency plays a critical role in normalization by determining the relationships between attributes, guiding the structuring of tables.

Third Normal Form (3NF) Conditions

• A table satisfies the conditions for Third Normal Form (3NF) if it is in 2NF and no transitive dependency exists among the non-key attributes.