A large database defined as a single relation may result in data duplication.

This repetition of data may result in:

o Making relations very large.

o It isn't easy to maintain and update data as it would involve searching
many records in relation.
o Wastage and poor utilization of disk space and resources.
o The likelihood of errors and inconsistencies increases.

So to handle these problems, we should analyze and decompose the

relations with redundant data into smaller, simpler, and well-structured
relations that are satisfy desirable properties. Normalization is a process of
decomposing the relations into relations with fewer attributes.

What is Normalization?
o Normalization is the process of organizing the data in the database.
o Normalization is used to minimize the redundancy from a relation or
set of relations. It is also used to eliminate undesirable characteristics
like Insertion, Update, and Deletion Anomalies.
o Normalization divides the larger table into smaller and links them using
relationships.
o The normal form is used to reduce redundancy from the database
table.

Why do we need Normalization?

The main reason for normalizing the relations is removing these anomalies.
Failure to eliminate anomalies leads to data redundancy and can cause data
integrity and other problems as the database grows. Normalization consists
of a series of guidelines that helps to guide you in creating a good database
structure

Data modification anomalies can be categorized into three types:

o Insertion Anomaly: Insertion Anomaly refers to when one cannot

A large database defined as a single relation may result

o Making relations very large.

o It isn't easy to maintain and update data as it would
involve searching many records in relation.
o Wastage and poor utilization of disk space and
resources.
o The likelihood of errors and inconsistencies
increases.

So to handle these problems, we should analyze and

decompose the relations with redundant data into
smaller, simpler, and well-structured relations that are
satisfy desirable properties. Normalization is a process of
decomposing the relations into relations with fewer
attributes.

What is Normalization?

o Normalization is the process of organizing the data in

the database.
o Normalization is used to minimize the redundancy
from a relation or set of relations. It is also used to
eliminate undesirable characteristics like Insertion,
Update, and Deletion Anomalies.
o Normalization divides the larger table into smaller
and links them using relationships.
o The normal form is used to reduce redundancy from
the database table.

Why do we need Normalization?

The main reason for normalizing the relations is removing

these anomalies. Failure to eliminate anomalies leads to
data redundancy and can cause data integrity and other
problems as the database grows. Normalization consists
of a series of guidelines that helps to guide you in
creating a good database structure

Data modification anomalies can be categorized

into three types:

o Insertion Anomaly: Insertion Anomaly refers to

when one cannot insert a new tuple into a
relationship due to lack of data.
o Deletion Anomaly: The delete anomaly refers to
the situation where the deletion of data results in the
unintended loss of some other important data.
o Updatation Anomaly: The update anomaly is when
an update of a single data value requires multiple
rows of data to be updated.

Types of Normal Forms:

Normalization works through a series of stages called

Normal forms. The normal forms apply to individual
relations. The relation is said to be in particular normal
form if it satisfies constraints.

Following are the various types of Normal forms:

Normal Description
Form

1NF A relation is in 1NF if it contains an atomic value.

2NF A relation will be in 2NF if it is in 1NF and all non-
key attributes are fully functional dependent on
the primary key.
3NF A relation will be in 3NF if it is in 2NF and no
transition dependency exists.
BCNF A stronger definition of 3NF is known as Boyce
Codd's normal form.
4NF A relation will be in 4NF if it is in Boyce Codd's
normal form and has no multi-valued dependency.
5NF A relation is in 5NF. If it is in 4NF and does not
contain any join dependency, joining should be
lossless.
Advantages of Normalization

o Normalization helps to minimize data redundancy.

o Greater overall database organization.
o Data consistency within the database.
o Much more flexible database design.
o Enforces the concept of relational integrity.

Disadvantages of Normalization

o You cannot start building the database before

knowing what the user needs.
o The performance degrades when normalizing the
relations to higher normal forms, i.e., 4NF, 5NF.
o It is very time-consuming and difficult to normalize
relations of a higher degree.
o Careless decomposition may lead to a bad database
design, leading to serious problems.

First Normal Form (1NF)

o A relation will be 1NF if it contains an atomic value.

o It states that an attribute of a table cannot hold

multiple values. It must hold only single-valued
attribute.
o First normal form disallows the multi-valued
attribute, composite attribute, and their
combinations.

Example: Relation EMPLOYEE is not in 1NF because of

multi-valued attribute EMP_PHONE.

EMPLOYEE table:
 EMP_ID EMP_NAME EMP_PHONE EMP_STATE

14 John 7272826385, UP
9064738238

20 Harry 8574783832 Bihar

12 Sam 7390372389, Punjab

8589830302

The decomposition of the EMPLOYEE table into 1NF has

been shown below:

EMP_ID EMP_NAME EMP_PHONE EMP_STATE

14 John 7272826385 UP

14 John 9064738238 UP

20 Harry 8574783832 Bihar

12 Sam 7390372389 Punjab

12 Sam 8589830302 Punjab

Second Normal Form (2NF)

o In the 2NF, relational must be in 1NF.

o In the second normal form, all non-key attributes are

fully functional dependent on the primary key
Example: Let's assume, a school can store the data of
teachers and the subjects they teach. In a school, a
teacher can teach more than one subject.

TEACHER table

TEACHER_ID SUBJECT TEACHER_AGE

25 Chemistry 30

25 Biology 30

47 English 35

83 Math 38

83 Computer 38

In the given table, non-prime attribute TEACHER_AGE is

dependent on TEACHER_ID which is a proper subset of a
candidate key. That's why it violates the rule for 2NF.

To convert the given table into 2NF, we decompose it into

two tables:

TEACHER_DETAIL table:

TEACHER_ID TEACHER_AGE

25 30

47 35
83 38

TEACHER_SUBJECT table:

TEACHER_ID SUBJECT

25 Chemistry

25 Biology

47 English

83 Math

83 Computer

Third Normal Form (3NF)

o A relation will be in 3NF if it is in 2NF and not contain
any transitive partial dependency.
o 3NF is used to reduce the data duplication. It is also
used to achieve the data integrity.
o If there is no transitive dependency for non-prime
attributes, then the relation must be in third normal
form.

A relation is in third normal form if it holds atleast one of

the following conditions for every non-trivial function
dependency X → Y.
1. X is a super key.
2. Y is a prime attribute, i.e., each element of Y is part
of some candidate key.

Example:

EMPLOYEE_DETAIL table:

EMP_ID EMP_NAME EMP_ZIP EMP_STATE EMP_CITY

222 Harry 201010 UP Noida

333 Stephan 02228 US Boston

444 Lan 60007 US Chicago

555 Katharine 06389 UK Norwich

666 John 462007 MP Bhopal

Super key in the table above:

1. {EMP_ID}, {EMP_ID, EMP_NAME}, {EMP_ID, EMP_NA

ME, EMP_ZIP}....so on

Candidate key: {EMP_ID}

Non-prime attributes: In the given table, all

attributes except EMP_ID are non-prime.

Here, EMP_STATE & EMP_CITY dependent on EMP_ZIP

and EMP_ZIP dependent on EMP_ID. The non-prime
attributes (EMP_STATE, EMP_CITY) transitively
dependent on super key(EMP_ID). It violates the rule
of third normal form.

That's why we need to move the EMP_CITY and

EMP_STATE to the new <EMPLOYEE_ZIP> table, with
EMP_ZIP as a Primary key.

EMPLOYEE table:

EMP_ID EMP_NAME EMP_ZIP

222 Harry 201010

333 Stephan 02228

444 Lan 60007

555 Katharine 06389

666 John 462007

EMPLOYEE_ZIP table:

EMP_ZIP EMP_STATE EMP_CITY

201010 UP Noida

02228 US Boston

60007 US Chicago
 06389 UK Norwich

462007 MP Bhopal

Boyce Codd normal form (BCNF)

o BCNF is the advance version of 3NF. It is stricter than
3NF.
o A table is in BCNF if every functional dependency X →
Y, X is the super key of the table.
o For BCNF, the table should be in 3NF, and for every
FD, LHS is super key.

Example: Let's assume there is a company where

employees work in more than one department.

EMPLOYEE table:

EMP_COUNT EMP_DEP DEPT_TY EMP_DEPT_

RY T PE NO
EMP_I
D

264 India Designin D394 283

g
 264 India Testing D394 300

364 UK Stores D283 232

364 UK Developi D283 549

ng

In the above table Functional dependencies are as

follows:

1. EMP_ID → EMP_COUNTRY
2. EMP_DEPT → {DEPT_TYPE, EMP_DEPT_NO}

Candidate key: {EMP-ID, EMP-DEPT}

The table is not in BCNF because neither EMP_DEPT nor

EMP_ID alone are keys.

To convert the given table into BCNF, we decompose it

into three tables:

EMP_COUNTRY table:

EMP_ID EMP_COUNTRY

264 India

264 India
 EMP_DEPT table:

EMP_DEPT DEPT_TYPE EMP_DEPT_NO

Designing D394 283

Testing D394 300

Stores D283 232

Developing D283 549

EMP_DEPT_MAPPING table:

EMP_ID EMP_DEPT

D394 283

D394 300

D283 232

D283 549

Functional dependencies:

1. EMP_ID → EMP_COUNTRY
2. EMP_DEPT → {DEPT_TYPE, EMP_DEPT_NO}

Candidate keys:
For the first table: EMP_ID
For the second table: EMP_DEPT
For the third table: {EMP_ID, EMP_DEPT}

Now, this is in BCNF because left side part of both the

functional dependencies is a key.

Relational Decomposition
o When a relation in the relational model is not in
appropriate normal form then the decomposition of a
relation is required.
o In a database, it breaks the table into multiple tables.

o If the relation has no proper decomposition, then it

may lead to problems like loss of information.
o Decomposition is used to eliminate some of the
problems of bad design like anomalies(something
that is different from what is normal or usual) ,
inconsistencies, and redundancy.

Types of Decomposition
Lossless Decomposition
o If the information is not lost from the relation that is
decomposed, then the decomposition will be lossless.
o The lossless decomposition guarantees that the join
of relations will result in the same relation as it was
decomposed.
o The relation is said to be lossless decomposition if
natural joins of all the decomposition give the
original relation.

Example:

EMPLOYEE_DEPARTMENT table:

EMP_I EMP_NA EMP_A EMP_CI DEPT_I DEPT_NA

D ME GE TY D ME

22 Denim 28 Mumbai 827 Sales

33 Alina 25 Delhi 438 Marketin

 g

46 Stephan 30 Bangal 869 Finance

ore

52 Katherin 36 Mumbai 575 Productio

e n

60 Jack 40 Noida 678 Testing

The above relation is decomposed into two relations

EMPLOYEE and DEPARTMENT

EMPLOYEE table:

EMP_ID EMP_NAME EMP_AGE EMP_CITY

22 Denim 28 Mumbai

33 Alina 25 Delhi

46 Stephan 30 Bangalore

52 Katherine 36 Mumbai

60 Jack 40 Noida

DEPARTMENT table

DEPT_ID EMP_ID DEPT_NAME

827 22 Sales

438 33 Marketing

869 46 Finance

575 52 Production

678 60 Testing

Now, when these two relations are joined on the common

column "EMP_ID", then the resultant relation will look like:

Employee ⋈ Department

EMP_ EMP_NA EMP_A EMP_CI DEPT_ DEPT_NA

ID ME GE TY ID ME

22 Denim 28 Mumb 827 Sales

ai

33 Alina 25 Delhi 438 Marketin

g

46 Stephan 30 Bangal 869 Finance

ore

52 Katherin 36 Mumb 575 Producti

e ai on

60 Jack 40 Noida 678 Testing

 Hence, the decomposition is Lossless join decomposition.

Dependency Preserving
o It is an important constraint of the database.

o In the dependency preservation, at least one

decomposed table must satisfy every dependency.
o If a relation R is decomposed into relation R1 and R2,
then the dependencies of R either must be a part of
R1 or R2 or must be derivable from the combination
of functional dependencies of R1 and R2.
o For example, suppose there is a relation R (A, B, C,
D) with functional dependency set (A->BC). The
relational R is decomposed into R1(ABC) and R2(AD)
which is dependency preserving because FD A->BC
is a part of relation R1(ABC).

Atomic values are the smallest possible units of data that can be
stored in a database. They cannot be further divided or
decomposed into smaller parts. For example, a phone number is
an atomic value, but a name is not, because it can be split into
first name and last name.

Functional Dependency in DBMS




A functional dependency occurs when the value of one attribute (or a set of
attributes) uniquely determines the value of another attribute. This
relationship is denoted as:
X→Y
Here, X is the determinant, and Y is the dependent attribute. This means that
for each unique value of X, there is precisely one corresponding value of Y.
Consider a table named Students with the following attributes:

StudentID StudentName StudentAge

101 Rahul 23

102 Ankit 22

103 Aditya 22

104 Sahil 24

105 Ankit 23

The above table has the following functional dependencies

StudentID -> StudentName
StudentID -> StudentAge
Note that the functional dependencies StudentName -> StudentAge or
StudentAge -> StudentName Do not hold.

How to represent functional dependency in DBMS?

 Functional dependency is expressed in the form of equations. For
example, if we have an employee record with fields "EmployeeID",
"FirstName" and "LastName" we can specify the function as follows:
EmployeeID -> FirstName, LastName
 To represent functional dependency in DBMS has two main features: left
(LHS) and right (RHS) of the arrow (->).
 For example, if we have a table with attributes "X", "Y" and "Z" and the
attribute "X" can determine the value of the attributes "Y" and "Z".
X -> Y, Z
 This symbol indicates that the value in property "X" determines the values
in property "Y" and "Z". So if you know the value of "X", you can also
determine the value of "Y" and "Z".
Benefits of Functional Dependency in DBMS
The concept of normalization is based on functional dependencies. Using
functional dependencies, we break a table in multiple tables that helps us in
preventing duplicate data and hence Improves Data Quality, less errors and
better database design.