ERD

ACTIVITY 1 ANSWERS

1. Discuss the role of a high-level data model in the database design process.
A high-level data model maps the enormous and complex information world like a sage
cartographer. It guides the design process like a bright beacon in the digital wilderness, avoiding
technical weeds and painting a broad image instead.

2. List the various cases where use of a NULL value would be appropriate.
When a particular attribute does not apply to an entity, Value of an attribute is unknown,
although it exists, When the value is unknown because it does not exist.

3. Define the following terms: entity, attribute, attribute value, relationship instance, composite
attribute, multivalued attribute, derived attribute, complex attribute, key attribute, and value set
(domain).
 Entity: A distinct object or concept in the real world that is represented in a database. Examples:
customer, product, order.
 Attribute: A specific characteristic or property that describes an entity. Examples: customer
name, product price, order date.
 Attribute Value: The specific data assigned to an attribute for a particular entity instance.
Examples: "John Smith" for customer name, "$100" for product price, "2023-10-26" for order
date.
 Relationship Instance: A specific instance of a relationship between two or more entities.
Examples: a customer placing an order for a product.
 Composite Attribute: An attribute that is further composed of smaller sub-attributes. Examples:
an address attribute might consist of street address, city, state, and ZIP code.
 Multivalued Attribute: An attribute that can have multiple values for a single entity instance.
Examples: a product having multiple categories or an employee having multiple skills.
 Derived Attribute: An attribute whose value is calculated based on other attributes. Examples:
age calculated from birth date, total order cost calculated from price and quantity.
 Complex Attribute: An attribute that can be further decomposed into other types of attributes
(composite, multivalued, derived). Examples: a customer profile consisting of contact
information, purchase history, and loyalty program details.
 Key Attribute: An attribute or set of attributes that uniquely identifies an entity instance within a
table. Examples: customer ID, product ID, order ID.
 Value Set (Domain): The set of allowable values that an attribute can have. Examples: valid email
addresses, dates within a specific range, enum values for product categories.

4. What is an entity type? What is an entity set? Explain the differences among an entity, an entity
type, and an entity set.
Entity:
An entity is a distinct and identifiable object or concept in the real world that is represented in
the database. It could be a person, place, thing, event, or concept with specific attributes that
describe its properties. For example, in a university database, "Student" and "Professor" could
be entities.
Entity Type:
An entity type is a collection of entities that share common characteristics or attributes. It
defines a category or class of similar entities. For instance, the "Student" entity type includes all
individual students, each with their own unique set of attributes (e.g., student ID, name, and
date of birth).
Entity Set:
An entity set is a set of instances (individual entities) of a particular entity type. It represents the
collection of all entities belonging to that entity type. Going back to the example, the "Student"
entity set would contain all the individual student entities in the database.
 Differences among Entity, Entity Type, and Entity Set:

Entity:
An entity is a specific instance of an entity type. It is a concrete, individual occurrence in the real
world, and it has a unique identity.
Entity Type:
An entity type is an abstract representation of a group or category of entities that share common
attributes. It defines the structure and characteristics of the entities within that category.
Entity Set:
An entity set is the actual collection of individual entities that belong to a specific entity type. It
is the instantiation of an entity type, representing all instances of that type in the database.

5. Explain the difference between an attribute and a value set.

An attribute is a characteristic
A value set specifies the set of values that may be assigned to that attribute for each individual
entry
Course: CC107 – Advanced Database System Date: Jan. 26, 2024

Name : EDRIAN C. LACIDA Section: BSIT 3C

ACTIVITY 1:

1. Discuss the role of a high-level data model in the database design process. (10pts)

2. List the various cases where use of a NULL value would be appropriate. (10pts)

3. Define the following terms: entity, attribute, attribute value, relationship instance, composite
attribute, multivalued attribute, derived attribute, complex attribute, key attribute, and value set
(domain). (30pts)

4. What is an entity type? What is an entity set? Explain the differences among an entity, an entity type,
and an entity set. (20pts)

5. Explain the difference between an attribute and a value set. (10pts)

EXERCISE 1:

1. Create an ER diagram with the table below. Include the relationship and cardinality. (50pts)