SCENARIO
A media company is responsible for managing the publishing of a wide variety of local and international magazines - NSC Information Technology - Question 4 - 2021 - Paper 2
Question 4
SCENARIO
A media company is responsible for managing the publishing of a wide variety of local and international magazines. An MS Access database is used to manage ... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:SCENARIO
A media company is responsible for managing the publishing of a wide variety of local and international magazines - NSC Information Technology - Question 4 - 2021 - Paper 2
Step 1
What is a relational database?
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Answer
A relational database is a structured collection of data organized into tables that are linked together through relationships defined by primary and foreign keys. This allows for efficient data management and retrieval through SQL queries.
Step 2
Name and explain ONE anomaly that can occur in an operational database if the database is not normalised.
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One anomaly is the 'Insertion Anomaly.' This occurs when the database structure is such that required data cannot be added without including additional unrelated information. For instance, if a new magazine relates to a publisher not yet entered into the database, you are unable to enter the magazine data until you include the publisher data.
Step 3
Identify THREE fields in the table tblMagazines that require more suitable data types. Suggest a more suitable field name and data type for EACH field that you identified.
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ReleaseDate: Proposed field name - ReleaseDate, Suggested data type - Date/Time instead of Text for proper date handling.
Price: Proposed field name - Price, Suggested data type - Currency instead of Text for monetary calculations.
NumPrinted: Proposed field name - NumPrinted, Suggested data type - Integer instead of Text to reflect whole numbers.
Step 4
Draw an ERD of tblPublishers and tblMagazines showing the following: The relationship type between the entities; A suitable action verb describing the relationship.
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The ERD should depict:
Publisher (tblPublishers) has a One-to-Many relationship with Magazine (tblMagazines).
Action verb: 'Publishes' - indicating that a publisher can publish multiple magazines.
Step 5
Explain what data integrity entails.
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Data integrity refers to the accuracy, consistency, and reliability of data throughout its lifecycle. It ensures that data is complete, valid, and maintained without unauthorized changes or corruption.
Step 6
Apart from normalisation, state ONE other way to ensure data integrity in a database.
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One way to ensure data integrity is through implementing validation rules within the database management system to check the accuracy of data entered.
Step 7
State TWO ways in which the company can benefit from the use of a database management system.
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It improves the organisational structure and storage of data, allowing for easier data access and management.
It reduces data redundancy, leading to more efficient use of storage and improved data consistency.
Step 8
Suggest ONE way to minimise user input.
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One way to minimise user input is to utilize default values in forms, so that common data does not need to be re-entered by the user.
Step 9
Explain why using a server-based database instead of a desktop database management system would be the better option in a company.
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A server-based database is more suitable for companies as it can accommodate large numbers of users simultaneously, allowing for better collaboration and access from different locations, which is not feasible with a desktop database.
Step 10
How does data warehousing affect the size of a database?
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Data warehousing increases the size of a database as it involves collecting, storing, and managing large volumes of data from various sources to facilitate analysis and reporting.
Step 11
Name ONE role of a person in data mining.
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One role of a person in data mining is that of a 'Data Analyst,' who interprets complex data sets to identify trends, patterns, and insights that inform business decisions.
