NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA
PLOT 91, CADASTRAL ZONE, NNAMDI AZIKIWE EXPRESSWAY, JABI-ABUJA
FACULTY OF SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE
2021_1 EXAMINATION 12345
COURSE CODE: CIT843
COURSE TITLE: INTRODUCTION TO DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
CREDIT UNIT: 2
TIME ALLOWED : 2HRS
INSTRUCTION: ANSWER QUESTION ONE AND ANY OTHER THREE
1.a. Using your own examples list 4 items that constitute or make up the following data
management concepts.
i. Database-level data validation and its implementation (2 marks)
ii. User-interface data security and its implementation (2 marks)
iii. Database-level redundancy, its problems and minimization (2 marks)
iv. User-interface data validation and its implementation (2 marks)
v. Database-level data security and its implementation (2 marks)
b. Database recovery is one of the main services provided by database management systems
(2.5marks)
I. Describe five types of failure that may occur in a database environment
ii. Discuss how the log file is a fundamental feature in any recovery mechanism by
describing: (4 marks)
the contents of the log file
the write-ahead log protocol
how the log file is used in forward and backward recovery
how checkpoints affect the recovery protocol
c. A Database can be defined as a self-describing collection of integrated records (2
marks)
Explain the meaning and the importance of the term “self-describing”.
d. A company wants to move its current file-based system to a database system. In
many
ways, this can be seen as a good decision. Identify and describe four disadvantages
in
adopting a database approach (2.5marks)
e. Briefly explain the UNION and INTERSECTION and show an example of SQL statement of
how the terms are implemented (4 marks)
(i). Union
(ii). Intersection
2.a. The table shown below stores details of students and the overall grade each student obtained
in different modules. The Primary Key is (StudentID, ModuleID). (8marks)
(i) Which Normal Form does the above table violate and why?
(ii) Give an example of an update anomaly and an example of a delete anomaly that may
occur if the table is left un-normalized. Explain the problems that are caused.
(iii) Show how you would normalize the table
b) An important concept in the theory of relational databases is that of a functional dependency.
(3marks)
(i) Explain what is meant by a functional dependency and give an example (1mark)
(ii) Identify two functional dependencies in the following table (A, B and C are the
attributes)
c. Discuss the "ACID" properties of transactions. Give examples to illustrate your answer.
(4marks)
3. a. A company uses the table below to record details of staff. Each staff has up to three
qualifications: (7marks)
(i) Explain why this table is not in “First Normal Form” (1NF)
(ii) Show how this table can be transformed into 1NF tables. Give two possible solutions.
(iii) b. Explain what the term data validation means. Using 5 examples, describe the
various data validation techniques that may be embedded into a forms-based interface
to a database.
b. Explain what the term data validation means. Using 5 examples, describe the various data
validation techniques that may be embedded into a forms-based interface to a database. (6marks)
c. Contrast the following terms: (2marks)
(i) Stored attribute; derived attribute.
(ii) Entity type; relationship type.
4. Demonstrate, with an example, Temporary Update Problem, Lost Update Problem and
Unrepeatable Read Problem that can occur in a multi-user environment when concurrent
access to the database is allowed. (15 marks)
5. A company uses the table below to record details of its projects. Each project is attached to a
department and runs for a certain duration (in months). The primary key for this table is (projnbr,
deptnbr): 5 marks
i. Give examples of “Update Anomaly” that may occur in this table.
ii. Identify any partial dependencies in the above table
iii. Identify any partial dependencies in the above table
iv. Remove any partial dependencies from the above table by performing a normalization
process and show skeletal designs of the resultant tables
(b) The following table keeps record of medical consultations conducted in a medical
practice. Each consultation takes place in a room and is conducted by a doctor on a
patient. A patient cannot have two consultations on the same day. Identify three
candidate keys for this table. (3 marks)
c. The following table has attributes A, B, C and D:
i. Explain what is meant by “functional dependency” in a table. 1 mark
ii. Identify three functional dependencies from the above table. 6 marks
