UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS: 2018/2019
EXAMINATION FOR THE DEGREE IN BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY/ BACHELOR OF BUSINESS
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
BIT1207A BBIT107 PRINCIPLES OF DATABASE DESIGN
MODE: FULL TIME/PART TIME/DISTANCE LEARNING
ORDINARY EXAMINATIONS
APRIL.2019 DURATION: 2 HOURS
INSTRUCTIONS: Answer question ONE and any other TWO questions
QUESTION ONE [30 MARKS]
a) Describe what entities represent in an ER model and provide examples of entities with a
physical existence.
4 Marks
b) Describe the types of update anomalies that may occur on a table that has redundant data.
3 Marks
c) Describe the characteristics of a table that violates first normal form (1NF) and then
describe how such a table is converted to 1NF.
4 Marks
d) Discuss the software components of a database management system(DBMS).
5 Marks
e) Discuss any FOUR concurrent control problems that may occur in a shared database.
4 Marks
f) Briefly describe general procedure for database normalization
6 Marks
g) Briefly describe FOUR components of database environment.
4 Marks
QUESTION TWO [20 MARKS]
a) Briefly explain the differences between the following terms as used in database systems
i. Data base and database
ii. Cardinality and degree
iii. Database integrity and database security
iv. Primary key and surrogate key
8 Marks
b) Briefly describe the stages of the database system development lifecycle.
7 Marks
c) Discuss the steps involved in logical design of a database
5 Marks
QUESTION THREE [20 MARKS]
a) Describe any THREE characteristics of the database approach.
6 Marks
b) Discuss each of the following concepts in the context of the relational data model:
i. Relation
ii. Domain
iii. Attribute
iv. Tuple
4 Marks
c) Discuss any four properties of a relational table.
4 Marks
d) Explain the function of each of the clauses in the SELECT statement.
i. FROM
ii. WHERE
iii. GROUP BY
iv. HAVING
v. SELECT
vi. ORDER BY
6 Marks
QUESTION FOUR [20 MARKS]
a) Describe the purpose of creating a mission statement and mission objectives for the required
database during the database planning stage.
4 Marks
b) Compare the centralized approach and view integration approach to managing the design of a
database system with multiple user views.
6 Marks
c) Explain why it is necessary to select the target DBMS before beginning the physical database
design phase.
4 Marks
d) Describe any THREE potential benefits of developing a prototype database system.
6 Marks
QUESTION FIVE [20 MARKS]
a) Describe the purpose and tasks associated with data administration and database
administration.
5 Marks
b) List the main types of threat that could affect a database system, and for each, describe the
possible outcomes for an organization.
5 Marks
c) You are given a simple database containing medical prescriptions as shown below.
Write SQL statements to accomplish the tasks. Assume the table name is PRESCRIPTIONS:
i. Change diagnosis for malaria to typhoid for the PrescriptionID D7.
ii. Display all prescriptions for typhoid
iii. Display the total price for all malaria prescriptions
iv. Display medications whose name ends with letter ‘e’.
8 Marks
d) Explain how the contents of a users’ requirements specification differ from a systems
specification?
2 Marks
