Database System
NORMALIZATION PRACTICE CASE STUDY
Database Tables and Normalization
Normalization is a process for assigning attributes to entities. It
reduces data redundancies and helps eliminate the data anomalies.
Normalization works through a series of stages called normal
forms:
◦ First normal form (1NF)
◦ Second normal form (2NF)
◦ Third normal form (3NF)
◦ Fourth normal form (4NF)
The highest level of normalization is not always desirable.
Database Tables and
Normalization
The Need for Normalization
◦ Case of a Construction Company
◦ Building project -- Project number, Name, Employees assigned to the
project.
◦ Employee -- Employee number, Name, Job classification
◦ The company charges its clients by billing the hours spent on each
project. The hourly billing rate is dependent on the employee’s
position.
◦ Periodically, a report is generated.
◦ The table whose contents correspond to the reporting requirements is
shown in Table 5.1.
Scenari
o
A few employees works Project Num :
for one project. 15
Project Name :
Evergreen
Employee Num :
101, 102, 103,
105
Sample Form
Project Num :
15
Project Name : Evergreen
Emp Emp Job Class Chr Hrs Total
Num Name Hours Billed
101
102
103
105
Table Structure Matches
the Report Format
Database Tables and Normalization
Problems with the Figure 5.1
◦ The project number is intended to be a primary key, but it contains nulls.
◦ The table displays data redundancies.
◦ The table entries invite data inconsistencies.
◦ The data redundancies yield the following anomalies:
◦ Update anomalies.
◦ Addition anomalies.
◦ Deletion anomalies.
Database Tables and Normalization
Conversion to First Normal Form
◦ A relational table must not contain repeating groups.
◦ Repeating groups can be eliminated by adding the
appropriate entry in at least the primary key
column(s).
Data Organization: First Normal Form
After
Before
First Normal Form (1 NF)
1NF Definition
◦ The term first normal form (1NF) describes the
tabular format in which:
◦ All the key attributes are defined.
◦ There are no repeating groups in the table.
◦ All attributes are dependent on the primary
key.
Dependency Diagram
Dependency Diagram
◦ The primary key components are bold, underlined, and
shaded in a different color.
◦ The arrows above entities indicate all desirable
dependencies, i.e., dependencies that are based on PK.
◦ The arrows below the dependency diagram indicate less
desirable dependencies -- partial dependencies and transitive
dependencies.
Second Normal Form (2 NF)
Conversion to Second Normal Form
◦ Starting with the 1NF format, the database can be converted into the
2NF format by
◦ Writing each key component on a separate line, and then writing the
original key on the last line and
◦ Writing the dependent attributes after each new key.
PROJECT (PROJ_NUM, PROJ_NAME)
EMPLOYEE (EMP_NUM, EMP_NAME, JOB_CLASS, CHG_HOUR)
ASSIGN (PROJ_NUM, EMP_NUM, HOURS)
Dependency Diagram
Second Normal Form (2 NF)
A table is in 2NF if:
◦ It is in 1NF and
◦ It includes no partial dependencies; that is, no attribute is
dependent on only a portion of the primary key.
(It is still possible for a table in 2NF to exhibit transitive
dependency; that is, one or more attributes may be functionally
dependent on nonkey attributes.)
Third Normal Form (3 NF)
Conversion to Third Normal Form
◦ Create a separate table with attributes in a
transitive functional dependence relationship.
PROJECT (PROJ_NUM, PROJ_NAME)
ASSIGN (PROJ_NUM, EMP_NUM, HOURS)
EMPLOYEE (EMP_NUM, EMP_NAME, JOB_CLASS)
JOB (JOB_CLASS, CHG_HOUR)
Third Normal Form (3 NF)
3NF Definition
◦ A table is in 3NF if:
◦ It is in 2NF and
◦ It contains no transitive
dependencies.
The
Completed
Database
