Deck 4: Relational Databases

Question 1

A data warehouse

A) is primarily used for analysis rather than transaction processing.
B) stores transaction processing records in hard copy.
C) replaces traditional transaction processing databases.
D) increases the speed of transaction processing.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

What acts as an interface between the database and the various application programs?

A) data warehouse
B) database administrator
C) database system
D) database management system

Answer 2

D

Question 3

All of the following are benefits of the database approach except

A) data integration and sharing.
B) decentralized management of data.
C) minimal data redundancy.
D) cross-functional analysis and reporting.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

File-oriented approaches create problems for organizations because of

A) multiple transaction files.
B) a lack of sophisticated file maintenance software.
C) multiple users.
D) multiple master files.

Question 5

The logical view of a database system refers to

A) how a user or programmer conceptually organizes and understands the data.
B) how the DBMS accesses data for a certain application program.
C) how and where the data are physically arranged and stored.
D) how master files store data values used by more than one application program.

Question 6

Merlin Frodo has been doing custom piercings and tattoos for over thirty years.His home and place of business is a garage in the harbor district of Seattle,Washington.He keeps meticulous records of every job he has ever completed.These have been entered into a computerized accounting information system that his accountant refers to as a "data warehouse." Merlin is considering adding scarification to his service offerings and has asked his accountant to identify past customers who might be likely candidates for this service.Merlin wants his accountant to engage in

A) customer auditing.
B) customer resource management.
C) data mining.
D) enterprise resource planning.

Question 7

Using a file-oriented approach to data and information,data is maintained in

A) a centralized database.
B) many interconnected files.
C) many separate files.
D) a decentralized database.

Question 8

The ________ is responsible for the database.

A) database master
B) database manager
C) database administrator
D) data coordinator

Question 9

Which statement is true regarding file systems?

A) Transaction files are similar to ledgers in a manual AIS.
B) Multiple master files create problems with data consistency.
C) Transaction files are permanent.
D) Individual records are never deleted in a master file.

Question 10

Which is probably the most immediate and significant effect of database technology on accounting?

A) replacement of the double entry-system
B) change in the nature of financial reporting
C) elimination of traditional records such as journals and ledgers
D) quicker access to and greater use of accounting information in decision-making

Question 11

Describe what you think will be the main impact of database technology in your career.

Question 12

Explain the difference between file-oriented transaction processing systems and relational database systems.Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each system.

Question 13

Describe a major advantage of database systems over file-oriented transaction processing systems.

Question 14

What is the difference in logical view and physical view?

Question 15

The use of a data warehouse in strategic decision making is often referred to as

A) business intelligence.
B) managerial accounting.
C) data analysis.
D) analytical modeling.

Question 16

The physical view of a database system refers to

A) how a user or programmer conceptually organizes and understands the data.
B) how the DBMS accesses data for a certain application program.
C) how and where the data are physically arranged and stored.
D) how master files store data values used by more than one application program.

Question 17

Shahnaz Vijaya is a new graduate who has been hired by a family-owned furniture manufacturing company in the south.She has been asked to analyze the company's accounting information system and to recommend cost-effective improvements.After noting that the production and sales departments use database systems that are entirely separated,she recommends that they be combined.Implementation of her recommendation would benefit the company by contributing to data

A) independence.
B) integration.
C) redundancy.
D) qualifications.

Question 18

Databases were originally developed to address which problem?

A) to replace the double entry-system
B) to address the proliferation of master files
C) to increase the speed that an organization could process transactions
D) to decrease the costs associated with manual accounting systems

Question 19

The combination of the database,the DBMS,and the application programs that access the database through the DBMS is referred to as the

A) data warehouse.
B) database administrator.
C) database system.
D) database management system.

Question 20

The ________ handles the link between the way data are physically stored and each user's logical view of that data.

A) database management software (DBMS)
B) database manager
C) data warehouse
D) data dictionary

Question 21

Cornelia Cassidy is a telecom equipment sales representative.Her company has provided her with a laptop computer that uses wireless connectivity to access the accounting information system from virtually anywhere in the country.She has access to view customer and product information.She also has access that allows her to enter and cancel customer orders.The permissions for Cornelia (and other sales reps)define a ________ in the company's database management system.

A) conceptual-level schema
B) data dictionary
C) external-level schema
D) physical view

Question 22

When the human resources manager wants to gather data about salary and start date by employees and by departments,the manager would use which language?

A) Data Manipulation Language
B) Data Query Language
C) Data Report Language
D) Data Definition Language

Question 23

Creating an empty table in a relational database requires use of the ________,and populating that table requires the use of ________.

A) DDL; DML
B) DQL; SQL
C) DDL; DQL
D) DML; DDA

Question 24

Record layouts,definitions,addresses,and indexes will be stored at the ________ level schema.

A) external
B) conceptual
C) internal
D) meta

Question 25

Which statement below concerning the database management system (DBMS)is false?

A) The DBMS automatically creates application software for users, based on data dictionary parameters.
B) The DBMS automatically maintains the data dictionary.
C) Users' requests for information are transmitted to the DBMS through application software.
D) The DBMS uses special languages to perform specific functions.

Question 26

A ________ is an abstract representation of a database's contents.

A) schema
B) logical data model
C) physical view
D) data dictionary

Question 27

If a national sales tax were implemented,which language would be used to add a new field in the sales table to track the sales tax due?

A) Data Definition Language
B) Data Manipulation Language
C) Data Query Language
D) Data Update Language

Question 28

A set of individual user views of the database is called the

A) conceptual-level schema.
B) internal-level schema.
C) external-level schema.
D) meta-schema.

Question 29

The data dictionary usually is maintained

A) automatically by the DBMS.
B) by the database administrator.
C) by the database programmers.
D) by top management.

Question 30

The logical structure of a database is described by the

A) data dictionary.
B) schema.
C) database management system.
D) context diagram.

Question 31

Which of the following would not be found in a data dictionary entry for a data item?

A) records containing a specific data item
B) physical location of the data
C) source of the data item
D) field type

Question 32

A low-level view of the database that describes how the data are actually stored and accessed is the

A) conceptual-level schema.
B) subschema.
C) internal-level schema.
D) external-level schema.

Question 33

The ________ contains information about the structure of the database.

A) data definition language
B) data dictionary
C) data warehouse
D) database management system

Question 34

Which would not generally be considered a data dictionary output report?

A) a list of cash balances in the organization's bank accounts
B) a list of all programs in which a data element is used
C) a list of all synonyms for the data elements in a particular file
D) a list of all data elements used by a particular user

Question 35

Reports produced using the data dictionary could include all of the following except a list of

A) programs where a data item is used.
B) synonyms for the data items in a particular file.
C) outputs where a data element is used.
D) the schemas included in a database.

Question 36

Cornelia Cassidy is a telecom equipment sales representative.Her company has provided her with a laptop computer that uses wireless connectivity to access the accounting information system from virtually anywhere in the country.She,and other sales reps,have access to view customer and product information.All sales reps also have access that allows them to enter and cancel customer orders.The permissions for Cornelia define a ________ in the company's database management system.

A) conceptual-level schema
B) subschema
C) data dictionary
D) physical view

Question 37

Describe the different schemas involved in a database structure.What is the role of accountants in development of schemas?

Question 38

The schema that provides an organization-wide view of the entire database is known as the

A) external-level schema.
B) internal-level schema.
C) conceptual-level schema.
D) logical view of the database.

Question 39

________ is a feature in many database systems that simplifies the creation of reports by allowing users to specify the data elements desired and the format of the output.

A) Report printer
B) Report creator
C) Report generator
D) Report writer

Question 40

In a well-designed and normalized database,which of the following attributes would be a foreign key in a cash receipts table?

A) customer number
B) cash receipt date
C) remittance advice number
D) customer check number

Question 41

The REA is an example of a database that uses a ________ data modeling approach to database design.

A) schema
B) logical
C) semantic
D) normalization

Question 42

Kai Keoni has created custom statues made out of scrap metal for over ten years.He lives above his shop in Martha's Vineyard,Maryland.Kai is an accounting fanatic and has kept detailed records of every statue he has ever created.For every sale,he obtains the customer's name and address,a description of the statue,and a picture of the statue sold to the customer.His unique style has recently attracted the attention of several celebrities.Ready to take his business to the next level,Kai has hired you to construct an accounting information system,which he wants modeled after his paper records.As you look over his records,you realize that some customers bought multiple statues at the same time.For example,Yasmeen Ghuari bought a Tin Man Status,a flying horseman statue,and a terrier statue.You realize that in these cases,a single written record will have to be translated into multiple sales records.This is an example of what type of problem in the existing records?

A) entity integrity
B) referential integrity
C) update anomaly
D) insert anomaly

Question 43

List the four DBMS "languages" and describe who uses each and for what purpose.

Question 44

________ in a well-structured relational database.

A) Every table must be related to all other tables
B) One table must be related to at least one other table
C) Every table must be related to at least one other table
D) One table must be related to all other tables

Question 45

The update anomaly in non-normalized database tables

A) occurs because of data redundancy.
B) restricts addition of new fields or attributes.
C) results in records that cannot be updated.
D) is usually easily detected by users.

Question 46

Identify one potential outcome of the delete anomaly.

A) inconsistent data
B) inability to add new data
C) unintentional loss of data
D) none of the above

Question 47

Inability to add new data to a database without violating the basic integrity of the database is referred to as the

A) update anomaly.
B) insert anomaly.
C) integrity anomaly.
D) delete anomaly.

Question 48

Describe the information that is contained in the data dictionary.

Question 49

Discuss the ways in which a well-designed DBMS will facilitate the three basic functions of creating,changing,and querying data.

Question 50

Kai Keoni has created custom statues made out of scrap metal for over ten years.He lives above his shop in Martha's Vineyard,Maryland.Kai is an accounting fanatic and has kept detailed records of every statue he has ever created.For every sale,he obtains the customer's name and address,a description of the statue,and a picture of the statue sold to the customer.His unique style has recently attracted the attention of several celebrities.Ready to take his business to the next level,Kai has hired you to construct an accounting information system,which he wants modeled after his paper records.As you look over his records,you realize that sometimes the same customer is recorded by a slightly different name.For example,Mike Mulligan bought a horse statue,M.Mulligan bought a pig statue,and Mike M.all seem to be the same person.This is an example of what type of problem in the existing records?

A) entity integrity
B) referential integrity
C) update anomaly
D) insert anomaly

Question 51

Describe a data dictionary.

Question 52

Explain the two advantages semantic data modeling has over normalization when designing a relational database.

Question 53

The ________ occurs when more than one occurrence of a specific data item in a database exists.

A) inconsistency anomaly
B) insert anomaly
C) delete anomaly
D) update anomaly

Question 54

The problem of losing desired information from a database when an unwanted record is purged from the database is referred to as the ________ anomaly.

A) purge
B) erase
C) delete
D) integrity

Question 55

Kai Keoni has created custom statues made out of scrap metal for over ten years.He lives above his shop in Martha's Vineyard,Maryland.Kai is an accounting fanatic and has kept detailed records of every statue he has ever created.For every sale,he obtains the customer's name and address,a description of the statue,and a picture of the statue sold to the customer.His unique style has recently attracted the attention of several celebrities.Ready to take his business to the next level,Kai has hired you to construct an accounting information system,which he wants modeled after his paper records.As you look over his records,you notice that some customer last names have different first names in different records.For example,R.Framington Farnsworth,Bob Farnsworth,and Snake Farnsworth all seem to be the same person.You explain to Kai that every customer must be identified by a unique customer number in the AIS.You are referring to the

A) entity integrity rule.
B) referential integrity rule.
C) update anomaly.
D) insert anomaly.

Question 56

Identify one potential drawback in the design and implementation of database systems for accounting.

A) Double-entry accounting relies on redundancy as part of the accounting process, but well-designed database systems reduce and attempt to eliminate redundancy.
B) Relational DBMS query languages will allow financial reports to be prepared to cover whatever time periods managers want to examine.
C) Relational DBMS provide the capability of integrating financial and operational data.
D) Relational DBMS can accommodate multiple views of the same underlying data; therefore, tables storing information about assets can include data about both historical and replacement costs.

Question 57

Explain the types of attributes that tables possess in a relational database.

Question 58

The problem of changes being incorrectly recorded in a database is known as

A) an update anomaly.
B) an insert anomaly.
C) a delete anomaly.
D) a memory anomaly.

Question 59

A relational database in which customer data is not maintained independently of sales invoice data will most likely result in

A) an update anomaly.
B) an insert anomaly.
C) a delete anomaly.
D) an integrity anomaly.

Question 60

Discuss redundancy as it applies to database design.

Question 61

Explain the relational database data model.

Question 62

How do users retrieve data stored in a database?

A) by viewing the appropriate data tables
B) by executing a query
C) by performing a search
D) by specifying the primary keys

Question 63

Kai Keoni has created custom statues made out of scrap metal for over ten years.He lives above his shop in Martha's Vinyard,Maryland.Kai is an accounting fanatic and has kept detailed records of every statue he has ever created.For every sale,he obtains the customer's name and address,a description of the statue,and a picture of the statue sold to the customer.His unique style has recently attracted the attention of several celebrities.Ready to take his business to the next level,Kai has hired you to construct an accounting information system,which he wants modeled after his paper records.You begin development of the relational database that will form the core of the AIS by envisioning the record stored in a single table with a column that represents each attribute.You then begin to break this table down into smaller tables.This process is called

A) integration.
B) optimization.
C) minimization.
D) normalization.

Question 64

Which of the following is false regarding a well-structured relational database?

A) A foreign key cannot be null.
B) A primary key cannot be null.
C) Every column in a row must be single valued.
D) All nonkey attributes in a table must describe a characteristic of the object identified by the primary key.

Question 65

In the database design approach known as normalization,the first assumption made about data is

A) there is no redundancy in the data.
B) the delete anomaly will not apply since all customer records will be maintained indefinitely.
C) everything is initially stored in one large table.
D) the data will not be maintained in 3NF tables.

Question 66

In a relational database,requiring that every record in a table have a unique identifier is called the

A) entity integrity rule.
B) referential integrity rule.
C) unique primary key rule.
D) foreign key rule.

Question 67

Kekoa Konani is chairman of the Chatty Chihuahua Club,where he maintains a database of registered purebred Chihuahuas and their breeding history.One table will store the name,birth date,and other characteristics of all of the registered Chihuahuas.Each Chihuahua is uniquely identified by a registration number.A second table will contain data that link each Chihuahua to its male and female parents by means of their registration numbers.The entities described by the first table are

A) marmosets.
B) parental relationships.
C) registration numbers.
D) names.

Question 68

Kekoa Konani is chairman of the Chatty Chihuahua Club,where he maintains a database of registered purebred Chihuahuas and their breeding history.One table will store the name,birth date,and other characteristics of all of the registered Chihuahuas.Each Chihuahua is uniquely identified by a registration number.A second table will contain data that link each Chihuahua to its male and female parents by means of their registration numbers.The primary key in the first table is

A) name.
B) registration number.
C) date of birth.
D) relationship number.

Question 69

The database requirement that foreign keys must be null or have a value corresponding to the value of a primary key in another table is formally called the

A) entity integrity rule.
B) referential integrity rule.
C) unique primary key rule.
D) foreign key rule.

Question 70

What are the basic requirements when logically designing a relational database model?

Question 71

Identify the aspect of a well-structured database that is incorrect.

A) Data is consistent.
B) Redundancy is minimized and controlled.
C) All data is stored in one table or relation.
D) The primary key of any row in a relation cannot be null.

Question 72

Kekoa Konani is chairman of the Chatty Chihuahua Club,where he maintains a database of registered purebred Chihuahuas and their breeding history.One table will store the name,birth date,and other characteristics of all of the registered Chihuahuas.Each Chihuahua is uniquely identified by a registration number.A second table will contain data that link each Chihuahua to its male and female parents by means of their registration numbers.The primary key in the second table is

A) name.
B) registration number.
C) date of birth.
D) relationship number.

Question 73

In a well-structured database,the constraint that ensures the consistency of the data is known as the

A) entity integrity rule.
B) referential integrity rule.
C) unique primary key rule.
D) foreign key rule.

Question 74

Identify the statement below that is false with regards to basic requirements of a relational database model.

A) Primary keys can be null.
B) Foreign keys, if not null, must have values that correspond to the value of a primary key in another table.
C) All non-key attributes in a table should describe a characteristic about the object identified by the primary key.
D) Every column in a row must be single-valued.

Question 75

Ama Afolayan is chair of the National Owl Society,which maintains a database of all rare owls within the United States.One table will store the name,birth date,and other characteristics of all of the owls that have been registered.Each owl is uniquely identified by a registration number.A second table will contain data that link each owl to its male and female parents by means of their registration numbers.The primary key in the first table is

A) name.
B) birth date.
C) the primary key in the second table.
D) a foreign key in the second table.

Question 76

Which of the statements below is incorrect?

A) Semantic data modeling facilitates the efficient design of databases.
B) Semantic data modeling facilitates communicating with the intended users of the system.
C) Semantic data modeling allows a database designer to use knowledge about business processes to design the database.
D) Semantic data modeling follows the rules of normalization in the design of a database.

Question 77

Ama Afolayan is chair of the National Owl Society,which maintains a database of all rare owls within the United States.One table will store the name,birth date,and other characteristics of all of the owls that have been registered.Each owl is uniquely identified by a registration number.A second table will contain data that link each owl to its male and female parents by means of their registration numbers.The entities described by the second table are

A) owls.
B) parental relationships.
C) registration numbers.
D) names.

Question 78

Ama Afolayan is chair of the National Owl Society,which maintains a database of all rare owls within the United States.One table will store the name,birth date,and other characteristics of all of the owls that have been registered.Each owl is uniquely identified by a registration number.A second table will contain data that link each owl to its male and female parents by means of their registration numbers.The primary key in the second table is

A) name.
B) birth date.
C) the same as the primary key in the first table.
D) a combination of primary keys in the first table.

Question 79

In a well-structured relational database,

A) foreign keys cannot be null.
B) there must be at least two foreign keys.
C) every column in a row must be single valued.
D) one table must be related to all other tables.

Question 80

The database design method in which a designer uses knowledge about business processes to create a diagram of the elements to be included in the database is called

A) normalization.
B) decentralization.
C) geometric data modeling.
D) semantic data modeling.