IT3: Topic 6 - Database systems

Winter 2012
17	Many companies would now struggle to operate effectively without database technology. Explain what is meant by a relational database.	[2]
18	Using appropriate examples, describe the advantages of a relational database approach over a flat file approach.	[6]
19	Describe what a data warehouse is and give an example of how a company might use it.	[3]
20	Explain what is meant by data mining and give a detailed example of how a company might use it.	[3]
21	Discuss in general terms, the advantages and disadvantages distributed databases give to a company.	[3]
Summer 2012
15	Explain what is meant by a relational database.	[2]
16	A DVD Rental Company uses a relational database management system for organising its lending. For simplicity, a person may only borrow one DVD at a time. Part of one table in the DVD Rental Company database could be: BORROWER [BorrowerID, FirstName, Surname, Borrower Type, Address1, ........] with BorrowerID being the primary key. Give two other suitable tables you could expect to see in this database, identifying any primary and foreign keys.	[7]
17	Relational databases are normalised to work effectively. Explain what is meant by the term data normalisation.	[2]
18	Some companies now use distributed databases. Explain what is meant by the term distributed databases and explain their advantages and disadvantages.	[6]
21	Discuss in general terms, the advantages and disadvantages distributed databases give to a company.	[3]
Winter 2013
17	Data in a relational database is normalised. Explain what is meant by a relational database and data normalisation.	[4]
18	Describe the terms data redundancy, data integrity and data consistency in relation to a relational database approach over a flat-file approach.	[3x2]
19	Give two reasons why relational databases are more secure than the flat-file approach.	[2]
20	Modern technology also makes use of distributed databases. Define what is meant by a distributed database. Describe two security issues that apply to distributed databases and suggest a different method for overcoming each issue.	[5]
Summer 2013
15	A Hospital uses a relational database for storing patient records. Explain what is meant by a relational database.	[2]
16	Data consistency, Data redundancy, Data integrity and Data independence are all terms associated with relational databases. Explain what each of these four terms means.	[4]
17	Consultants and patients are allocated to wards but each patient has only one consultant and each ward has their own consultant. One table in this database could be: WARD(Wardid, WardName, NumOfBeds).  With Wardid being the primary key. Give two other suitable tables you could expect to see in this database, identifying any primary or foreign key.	[6]
18	Describe what a data warehouse is and give an example of how a company might use it.	[3]
19	Explain what is meant by data mining and give a detailed example of how a company might use it.	[3]
21	Discuss in general terms, the advantages and disadvantages distributed databases give to a company.	[3]
Winter 2014
13	Relational databases are normalised to work effectively. Explain what is meant by the term data normalisation.	[2]
14	Give three reasons why relational databases are more secure than a flat file approach.	[3]
15	Distributed databases are widely used. Explain what is meant by the term distributed databases and explain their advantages and disadvantages.	[7]
16	Explain what is meant by a data warehouse and describe the advantages it might give a retail company.	[3]
17	Explain what is meant by data mining and describe an example of how a retail company might use it.	[3]
Summer 2014
15	Explain what is meant by a relational database.	[2]
16	A car hire company uses a relational database management system for organising its rentals. For simplicity, a person may only hire one car at a time. Part of one table in the car hire database could be: CAR [CarID, Make, Model, Colour, Year of registration, Hire rate, .........] with CarID being the primary key. Give two other suitable tables you could expect to see in this database, identifying any primary and foreign keys and at least two other fields in each table.	[7]
17	Describe how the car hire database structure could be improved to allow a person to hire more than one car at a time.	[1]
18	Using appropriate examples, describe the advantages of a relational database approach over a flat file approach.	[8]
21	Discuss in general terms, the advantages and disadvantages distributed databases give to a company.	[3]
Summer 2015
15	Organisations now store vast amounts of data in normalise form in relational databases.  This data is used as a data warehouse and is mined to aid decision making.  Explain what is meant by: ·         Data normalisation ·         Relational database ·         Data warehouse ·         Data mining.	[6]
16	A relational database approach has many advantages, including increased security.  Describe the positive security implications of a relational database over other types of database.	[2]
17	Give one advantage of using a data warehouse and one detailed advantage of data mining to an organisation.	[3]
18	Distributed databases are used by some hotel chains.  Describe two benefits to a hotel chain of using a distributed database and describe two security issues associated with distributed databases for the hotel chain.  Suggest a different method the hotel chain could use for overcoming each of these issues.	[6]