Normalisation - Exercises

Exercise 1:

An unnormalised staff relation in a software company has the following structure.

Some data entries have been given as illustrations. Each programmer works at
his own workstation computer on a number of software programs. Each
particular program is written in one language.

Staff

Programmer Programmer Workstation Make Program Number Language

Number
Smith 0016 X194 IBM CS01 Java
Smith 0016 X194 IBM CS43 Java
Smith 0016 X194 IBM CS213 V Basic
Patel 1005 L29 Siemens HS57 VBasic
Patel 1005 L29 Siemens HS82 Java

1. What are the problems likely to arise in this structure?

2. Indicate the functional dependencies in the Staff relation. If you need to
make further assumptions you
should state them clearly.
3. Obtain a set of Second Normal Form relations from Staff.

What problems remain with these Second Normal Form relations?

Exercise 2.

A software company has constructed a relational database to keep track of its

computers. Most of the computers remain on the company’s premises, in which
case a list of projects that are authorised to use the computers is maintained.
(Some specialised computers may be shared by several projects. A project
typically requires access to several computers). The database must also record
the members of staff assigned to each project. A member of staff is assigned to
only one project at a time. Some computers are loaned to members of staff for
use at home. Faculty equipment is sent to the supplier for repairs.

Unfortunately, the database was designed by someone with very little knowledge
of relational theory. This person decided to hold all information in a single table
with the following schema:
Equipment(Mach_Num, Type, Manf, Mod_Num, On_Prem, Location,
{P_ID, P_Name, Mgr_ID, Start_Date, End_Date, Auth_Period, {Staff_ID, Staff_Name,
Staff_Room}}, On_loan?, Staff_ID, Staff_Name, Staff_Room, For_Repair?, Fault, Supp_ID,
Supp_Name, Supp_Add, Supp_Phone)

Repeated groups are enclosed in {}. The meaning to be attached to individual

attributes is given below:

1. Mach_Num A unique identifier for each computer.

2. Type PC, Mac, Workstation etc
3. Manf, Mod_Num The name of the manufacturer and the model number.
4. On_Prem? Yes if on premises; No otherwise.
5. Location Room Number, if on premises.
6. P_ID, P_Name ID and the name of the project
7. Mgr_ID Staff ID of the project manager
8. Start_Date, End_Date Start and end dates of the project.
9. Auth_Period The period during which a project is authorised to use the equipment. Note
that this may or may not coincide with the entire duration of the project
10. {Staff_ID, Staff_Name, Staff_Room } The ID, name and room number of the staff member
to whom the equipment is loaned.
11. For_Repair? Yes, if the machine is away for repair; No otherwise.
12. Fault Fault description, if the computer is away for repair.
13. Supp_ID, Supp_Name, Supp_Add, Supp_Phone ID, name, address and telephone
number of the supplier.

Decompose the above relation into 3NF relations, taking care to identify primary
and foreign keys in all relations.

Exercise 3.

The Computer department of a large university has decided to provide students

with a document that lists the various types of programming skills they have
picked up on the course and the level they have reached in each. The table
below shows the attributes that need to be stored about each student along with
some sample entries.

Student_Email Name Address Course Course Skill_id Skill_Name Skill_date Skill_Level

Director
D96abc Jones 6 Old Manor Computing Paul 22 Prolog 2/4/99 6
D96abc Jones 6 Old Manor Computing Paul 23 Java 1/3/99 5
D96cde Stewart 4 Coach Rd Business Thompson 33 Prolog 3/5/99 8
D96xyz Rodgers 1 New Row Business Thompson 16 Pascal 1/3/99 4

The Skill_id is a number that is unique for each skill, but the skill name is not.
The Student_Email is also unique for each student.
Students taking computing modules may come from outside courses such as
Business. This information along with the course director responsible is also
recorded. There is a single course director for each course, but a member of staff
can be course director for several courses.

Each programming skill that a student has been tested on is recorded with the
date that the test took place and the skill level reached. The test may be
repeated, but only the latest result is to be stored. Thus if Jones retakes the
Prolog test then only the date and level attributes would be updated.

1. Explain, using the above example, the problems that may occur when
insertions deletions and modifications are made.
2. Identify all functional dependencies among attributes. If you decide that
the information given is not sufficient for determining all functional
dependencies, make whatever assumptions you think are necessary but
state them clearly.
3. Define first, second and third normal forms
4. Decompose the above example into 3NF, taking care to identify primary
and foreign keys in all relations.