Student copy

Introduction to Database
Systems
L6 – Normalization

Sem2 24-25
Recap
 Forthe Crow’s Foot symbols below, what are
their corresponding cardinalities

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Recap
 Ifan entity occurrence requires the
occurrence of another entity, then their
relationship is said to be _____________.
 This is known as relationship (participation /
strength)
 If
one entity is existent-independent of
another one, then their relationship is said to
be ___________.
 This is known as relationship (participation /
strength)
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Normalization
 Isa process for evaluating and correcting
table structures to minimize data
redundancies  reducing data anomalies
 Involves assigning attributes to tables based

on the concept of determination

 Works through a series of stages called

Normal Forms (NF), from first normal form

(1NF) to third normal form (3NF)
 From the structural point of view, 2NF is better
than 1NF, and 3NF is better than 2NF
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Normalization - Objectives
 Toensure that each table conforms to the
concept of well-formed relations, i.e. each table
should have the following characteristics:
 Each table represents a single subject
 No data item will be unneccessarily stored in more
than one table
 All non-prime attributes in a table are dependent on
the primary key, i.e. all data are uniquely identifiable
by the primary key
 Each table has no insertion, update or deletion
anomalies 5
Functional Dependency
 Attribute B is fully functionally dependent on
Attribute A if each value of A determines one
and only one value of B
 Partial Dependency – only part of the primary

key is needed to determine the value of a

dependent attribute
 E.g. suppose primary key (A,B) determines
attributes (C,D) but B also determines C; then
BC is a partial dependency

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Functional Dependency
 Transitive Dependency – when there are
functional dependencies such that XY and
Y Z, and X is the primary key; then the
dependency XZ is a transitive dependency
as X determines Z via Y
 Although the actual transitive dependency is
XZ, but this is only because of the
dependency between two non-prime attributes
YZ;
 For simplicity, this functional dependency between
non-prime attributes are referred to as transitive
dependency 7
Normalization Process
 Given a report:

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Unnormalized table
 Turn the report into table form

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Normalization Process -
Convert to 1NF
 Step 1 – Eliminate the Repeating Groups
 Repeating groups – a group of multiple entries of
the same type for any single key attribute
 To eliminate repeating groups, fill in the nulls with
appropriate data value

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Normalization Process -
Convert to 1NF
 Step 2 – Identify the Primary Key

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Normalization Process -
Convert to 1NF
 Step 3 – Identify all Dependencies

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Normalization Process -
Convert to 1NF
 1NF table:
 All of the key attributes are defined
 There are no repeating groups in the table – each
row/column intersection contains one and only
one value, not a set of values
 All attributes are dependent on the primary key

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Normalization Process -
Convert to 2NF
 Step
1 – Make new tables to eliminate partial
dependencies
 For each component of the primary key that acts as
a determinant in a partial dependency, create a new
table with a copy of that component as the primary
key; i.e. the component will become the primary key
in a new table
 E.g. in fig 6.3, PROJ_NUM and EMP_NUM will
become primary keys in new tables; and the original
table will be divided into 3 tables, namely
PROJECT, EMPLOYEE, and ASSIGNMENT
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Normalization Process -
Convert to 2NF
 Step 2 – Reassign corresponding dependent
attributes
 The attributes that are dependent in a partial
dependency are removed from the original table
and placed in the new table with its determinant
 Attributes that are no dependent in a partial
dependency will remain in the original table

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Normalization Process -
Convert to 2NF

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Normalization Process -
Convert to 2NF
 2NF table:
 It is in 1NF, and
 It includes no partial dependencies
 It is possible that a 2NF table still has transitive
dependency

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Normalization Process -
Convert to 3NF
 Step1 – Make new tables to eliminate
transitive dependencies
 For each transitive dependency, make a copy of
its determinant as a primary key for a new table;
 E.g. JOB_CLASS  CHG_HOUR
 Hence a new table JOB is created with primary key
JOB_CLASS

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Normalization Process -
Convert to 3NF
 Step 2 – Reassign corresponding dependent
attributes
 Place the dependent attributes in the new tables
and remove them from their original tables
 E.g. CHG_HOUR is removed from the
EMPLOYEE table and placed in the JOB table

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Normalization Process -
Convert to 3NF

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Normalization Process -
Convert to 3NF
 3NF table:
 It is in 2NF, and
 It contains no transitive dependencies

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Discussion
 Is the following table in 3NF?

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Boyce-Codd Normal Form
(BCNF)
 BCNF – where every determinant in the table
is a candidate key
 E.g. a table has two candidate keys – A+B,

and A+C

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Boyce-Codd Normal Form
(BCNF)

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Denormalization
 When all tables are normalized to 3NF, the
number of tables in the database (increases /
decreases).
 Data redundancy problems are minimized

 Generating information from tables may

require joining of many tables  longer

processing time

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Denormalization
 Denormalized relations – introduce small
amount of redundant data in the model
 3 cases:
1. Redundant data – e.g. suppose CUS_ZIP determines
CUS_CITY, then the following table is in (1NF / 2NF /
3NF)
 Should it be normalized to 3NF?

CUS_CODE CUS_STREET CUS_CITY CUS_ZIP CUS_PHONE

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Denormalization

2. Derived data – e.g. TOTAL_LINE_PRICE is a derived

attribute, i.e. PROD_PRICE and PROD_QTY
determines TOTAL_LINE_PRICE
 Should it be normalized to 3NF?

INV_NUM LINE_NUM PROD_CODE PROD_PRICE PROD_QTY TOTAL_LINE

_PRICE

= PROD_PRICE *
PROD_QTY

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Denormalization

3. Information requirements – using a temporary

denomalized table to hold report data
 This is fine as long as the table is used only for

reporting purpose. Therefore there is no data anomaly

problems.

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