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Chapter 7
Relational Database Design by ER-
and EERR-to-Relational Mapping
Chapter Outline
◼ ER-to-Relational Mapping Algorithm
◼ Step 1: Mapping of Regular Entity Types
◼ Step 2: Mapping of Weak Entity Types
◼ Step 3: Mapping of Binary 1:1 Relation Types
◼ Step 4: Mapping of Binary 1:N Relationship Types.
◼ Step 5: Mapping of Binary M:N Relationship Types.
◼ Step 6: Mapping of Multivalued attributes.
◼ Step 7: Mapping of N-ary Relationship Types.

◼ Mapping EER Model Constructs to Relations

◼ Step 8: Options for Mapping Specialization or Generalization.
◼ Step 9: Mapping of Union Types (Categories).

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FIGURE 7.1
The ER conceptual schema diagram for the COMPANY database.

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TARGET
Result of mapping the COMPANY ER schema into a relational schema

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ER-to-Relational Mapping Algorithm
◼ Step 1: Mapping of Regular Entity Types.
◼ For each regular (strong) entity type E in the ER schema,
create a relation R that includes all the simple attributes
of E.
◼ Choose one of the key attributes of E as the primary key
for R.
◼ If the chosen key of E is composite, the set of simple
attributes that form it will together form the primary key of R.

◼ Example: We create the relations EMPLOYEE,

DEPARTMENT, and PROJECT in the relational schema
corresponding to the regular entities in the ER diagram.
◼ SSN, DNUMBER, and PNUMBER are the primary keys for
the relations EMPLOYEE, DEPARTMENT, and PROJECT
as shown.

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 ER-to-Relational Mapping Algorithm (contd.)

◼ Step 2: Mapping of Weak Entity Types

◼ For each weak entity type W in the ER schema with owner entity
type E, create a relation R & include all simple attributes (or
simple components of composite attributes) of W as attributes of
R.
◼ Also, include as foreign key attributes of R the primary key
attribute(s) of the relation(s) that correspond to the owner entity
type(s).
◼ The primary key of R is the combination of the primary key(s)
of the owner(s) and the partial key of the weak entity type W,
if any.
◼ Example: Create the relation DEPENDENT in this step to
correspond to the weak entity type DEPENDENT.
◼ Include the primary key SSN of the EMPLOYEE relation as a
foreign key attribute of DEPENDENT (renamed to ESSN).
◼ The primary key of the DEPENDENT relation is the combination
{ESSN, DEPENDENT_NAME} because DEPENDENT_NAME is
the partial key of DEPENDENT.
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FIGURE 7.1
The ER conceptual schema diagram for the COMPANY database.

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 ER-to-Relational Mapping Algorithm (contd.)
◼ Step 3: Mapping of Binary 1:1 Relation Types
◼ For each binary 1:1 relationship type R in the ER schema, identify
the relations S and T that correspond to the entity types
participating in R.
◼ There are three possible approaches:
1. Foreign Key approach: Choose one of the relations –say S- and
include the primary key of T as foreign key in S. It is better to
choose an entity type with total participation in R in role of S.
◼ Example: 1:1 relation MANAGES is mapped by choosing the
participating entity type DEPARTMENT to serve in the role of S,
because its participation in the MANAGES relationship type is total.
2. Merged relation option: An alternate mapping of a 1:1 relationship
type is possible by merging the two entity types and the relationship
into a single relation. This may be appropriate when both
participations are total.
3. Cross-reference or relationship relation option: The third
alternative is to set up a third relation R for the purpose of cross-
referencing the primary keys of the two relations S and T
representing the entity types.
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FIGURE 7.1
The ER conceptual schema diagram for the COMPANY database.

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FIGURE 7.2
Result of mapping the COMPANY ER schema into a relational schema.

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SSN DNO StartDate

1234 1 1-1-2000

9898 5 1-1-2005

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ER-to-Relational Mapping Algorithm (contd.)

◼ Step 4: Mapping of Binary 1:N Relationship Types.

◼ For each regular binary 1:N relationship type R, identify the
relation S that represent the participating entity type at the
N-side of the relationship type.
◼ Include as foreign key in S the primary key of the relation T
that represents the other entity type participating in R.
◼ Include any simple attributes of the 1:N relation type as
attributes of S.
◼ Example: 1:N relationship types WORKS_FOR and
SUPERVISION in the figure.
◼ For WORKS_FOR we include the primary key DNUMBER
of the DEPARTMENT relation as foreign key in the
EMPLOYEE relation and call it DNO.

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FIGURE 7.1
The ER conceptual schema diagram for the COMPANY database.

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FIGURE 7.2
Result of mapping the COMPANY ER schema into a relational schema.

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FIGURE 7.2
Result of mapping the COMPANY ER schema into a relational schema.

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FIGURE 7.2
Result of mapping the COMPANY ER schema into a relational schema.

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ER-to-Relational Mapping Algorithm (contd.)
◼ Step 5: Mapping of Binary M:N Relationship Types.
◼ For each regular binary M:N relationship type R, create a new
relation S to represent R.
◼ Include as foreign key attributes in S the primary keys of the
relations that represent the participating entity types; their
combination will form the primary key of S.
◼ Also include any simple attributes of the M:N relationship type (or
simple components of composite attributes) as attributes of S.
◼ Example: The M:N relationship type WORKS_ON from the
ER diagram is mapped by creating a relation WORKS_ON
in the relational database schema.
◼ The primary keys of the PROJECT and EMPLOYEE relations are
included as foreign keys in WORKS_ON and renamed PNO and
ESSN, respectively.
◼ Attribute HOURS in WORKS_ON represents the HOURS attribute of
the relation type. The primary key of the WORKS_ON relation is the
combination of the foreign key attributes {ESSN, PNO}.

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FIGURE 7.1
The ER conceptual schema diagram for the COMPANY database.

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FIGURE 7.2
Result of mapping the COMPANY ER schema into a relational schema.

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 ER-to-Relational Mapping Algorithm (contd.)

◼ Step 6: Mapping of Multivalued attributes.

◼ For each multivalued attribute A, create a new relation R.
◼ This relation R will include an attribute corresponding to A, plus the
primary key attribute K -as a foreign key in R- of the relation that
represents the entity type of relationship type that has A as an
attribute.
◼ The primary key of R is the combination of A and K. If the
multivalued attribute is composite, we include its simple
components.
◼ Example: The relation DEPT_LOCATIONS is created.
◼ The attribute DLOCATION represents the multivalued attribute
LOCATIONS of DEPARTMENT, while DNUMBER-as foreign key-
represents the primary key of the DEPARTMENT relation.
◼ The primary key of R is the combination of {DNUMBER,
DLOCATION}.

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FIGURE 7.1
The ER conceptual schema diagram for the COMPANY database.

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FIGURE 7.2
Result of mapping the COMPANY ER schema into a relational schema.

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 ER-to-Relational Mapping Algorithm (contd.)

◼ Step 7: Mapping of N-ary Relationship Types.

◼ For each n-ary relationship type R, where n>2,

create a new relationship S to represent R.

◼ Include as foreign key attributes in S the primary keys of
the relations that represent the participating entity types.
◼ Also include any simple attributes of the n-ary relationship
type (or simple components of composite attributes) as
attributes of S.
◼ Example: The relationship type SUPPY in the ER on the next
slide.
◼ This can be mapped to the relation SUPPLY shown in the
relational schema, whose primary key is the combination of
the three foreign keys {SNAME, PARTNO, PROJNAME}

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FIGURE 4.11
Ternary relationship types. (a) The SUPPLY relationship.

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FIGURE 7.3
Mapping the n-ary relationship type SUPPLY from Figure 4.11a.

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Summary of Mapping constructs and
constraints

Table 7.1 Correspondence between ER and Relational Models

ER Model Relational Model

Entity type “Entity” relation
1:1 / 1:N relationship type Foreign key (or “relationship” relation)
M:N relationship type “Relationship” relation and two foreign keys
n-ary relationship type “Relationship” relation and n foreign keys
Simple attribute Attribute
Composite attribute Set of simple component attributes
Multivalued attribute Relation and foreign key
Value set Domain
Key attribute Primary (or secondary) key

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Chapter Summary
◼ ER-to-Relational Mapping Algorithm
◼ Step 1: Mapping of Regular Entity Types
◼ Step 2: Mapping of Weak Entity Types
◼ Step 3: Mapping of Binary 1:1 Relation Types
◼ Step 4: Mapping of Binary 1:N Relationship Types.
◼ Step 5: Mapping of Binary M:N Relationship Types.
◼ Step 6: Mapping of Multivalued attributes.
◼ Step 7: Mapping of N-ary Relationship Types.

◼ Mapping EER Model Constructs to Relations

◼ Step 8: Options for Mapping Specialization or Generalization.
◼ Step 9: Mapping of Union Types (Categories).

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