Week 7

DATABASE
WHAT IS DATABASE?

Database is a single organized collection of data for one or

more purposes stored with minimum duplication of data items so

as to provide a consistent and controlled pool of data.

Example includes:

1. A School Students’ Database – academic results, school

fees, parent information, accommodation etc

2. Library Database in a school.

3. Teachers Database in a school.

DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (DBMS)
The Database Management System (DBMS) is software that controls the

creation, maintenance, storage, retrieval, organisation, use and manipulation of

data stored in a database.

Using a DBMS make files easy to store, edit and retrieved effectively.

A database management system (DBMS) is a software package with

computer programs that controls the creation, maintenance, and use of a database.

It allows organisations to conveniently develop databases for various

applications by database administrators (DBAs) and other specialists.

A database is usually created using database packages called Data Base

Management System (DBMS) and Relational Data Base Management System

(RDBMS).

EXAMPLES OF DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (DBMS)

Some examples of database application include:

1. Microsoft Access (MS Access)

2. Microsoft SQL Server
3. Sybase
4. Foxbase
5. Visual Fox Pro
6. Oracle
7. Dbase II, III, IV, V, VI, VII
8. Rbase
9. MySQL
10. FoxBASE Plus
11. Ingres

BENEFITS OF DATABASE (DBMS)

1. Reduced data redundancy and inconsistency.

2. It makes correct data available to users.

3. Quick and efficient information is available.

4. Enhanced data integrity.

5. Improved security.

6. Reduced application development and maintenance costs.

7. Improved strategic use of corporate data.

8. Reduced complexity of the organization’s information systems environment.

9. Application-data independence.

10. Concurrent access anomalies

 Basic terms used in database
(Database terminologies)
The following are some of the basic database terminologies:
1. Data

2. File

3. Record

4. Field

5. Key (Primary key)

6. Forms

7. Query

8. Report

9. Table

10. Index
 Database structure
Data item

Field

Record

Database

Databank

1. Data item is the smallest unit in a table or database.

2. Field is a collection of related data items.

3. Record is a collection of related fields.

4. Database is a collection of related records.

5. Databank is a collection of related database.

EXPLANATION OF BASIC TERMS

1. Data:
Data is defined as raw facts or unprocessed facts or known facts.

2. Field:
A field is a single piece of attribute about an entity, place or event. In a student
database table, some examples of attributes or field are surname, data of birth,
address, sex etc. These are represented as columns in a database table.

3. Record:
A record is a complete set of attributes (fields) about an entity, place or event.
This is represented as rows in a database file or table.

For example:
The student table below has ___3_ records, _5__ fields represented by __4___
rows and __5__ columns respectively. The first row represents a record for
Ayomide Abati.

Reg. No. Surname First Name Age Address

AOO1 Abati Ayomide 25 1, Awolowo Way, Ikeja, Lagos.
A002 Nifesimi Abodunrin 14 2, Grace land, Ikeja, Lagos
A003 Peter Rufai 16 81/83, Martins street, Akute
4. Key:
A key is an attribute or field that can be used to identify a record in a database
table or file.

Usually, a key is a field of a record in a database and is unique to that record.

Typical examples of a key in a database are:
(i) Matric Number
(ii) Phone Number
(iii) JAMB Registration Number
(iv) Passport Number
(v) E-mail Address
(vi) WhatsApp Number etc

The PRIMARY KEY is a unique attribute that can be used to identify a record in a
database table. In the student database table above, the attribute that is unique
to identify each record is the ________.

ASSIGNMENT
Explain the following types of keys as used in database:
1. Secondary keys
2. Foreign keys
3. Composite keys
4. Complementary keys
5. Tertiary keys

5. File (Data file):

A file is a collection of related records. A data file or simply called file is a single
collection of related records.

For example, a school database will have an academic file that contains all the
academic records of the students in the school. It can also have an accounts file
that contains the financial information of the students. It can have a parent file
that contains information about the students’ parents and so on.

OTHERS ARE:
6. Database:
It is collection of interrelated files or tables.

7. Key (Key field):

A key field or Primary key is a field that uniquely identifies each record in a file.
The data in a key field is unique to a specific record.

8. Data table (Table):

A table is the basic unit of a database. It is a collection of related data about a
specific subject. It is divided into rows and columns. Each row holds a record
while each column represents a unique field.

9. Query:
Queries ask questions about information stored in the tables. Query is used to
ask questions and get answers from data.

10. Character or Data item:

It is the smallest addressable unit in the memory of computer.

11. Forms:
A form is a database object that is used to enter or display data in a database. It
is a method used to enter, view or print the information in a table or query.

12. Reports:
Reports allow you to show data in a printable format. It allows you to print data
based on queries / tables that you have created.
 DATABASE MODELS
What is Database Model or Database Organization?
A database model is the fundamental specification describing how a database is

structured and used.

It describes how data is stored, organized, related and manipulated.

It also defines the set of operations that can be performed on the data.

FORMS/TYPES OF DATABASE ORGANISATION

(DATABASE MODELS)

The various forms or types of database models include the following:

1. Flat file database model

2. Hierarchical database model

3. Relational database model

4. Network database model

5. Object-Oriented database model

 EXPLANATION:
1. Flat file database or model:
The flat file databases are the traditional data file storage system ideal for

storing small amounts of data that needs to be human readable or edited by hand.

They are called flat because they contain only one table. One of the main

problems with using flat files is that it easily gets corrupt.

2. Hierarchical database or model:

In a hierarchical model, data is organized into an upside-down, tree-like structure,

implying a single upward link in each record to describe the nesting.

An example is the Information Management System (IMS) by the IBM.

It allows one-to-many relationship e.g. Mother-to-child relationship or Parent-to-

child relationship.

Fruit

Orange Pear Berry

Lime Grape Avocado Sour sop Cranberry Raspberry

Hierarchical Database – (Grandparent – Parent – Children)

3. Relational database or model (RDBMS):
This is the most common of all the different types of databases.

The relational model was introduced by Edgar F. Codd in 1970 as a way to make
database management systems more independent of any particular application.

A relational database uses tables with rows and columns to show relationships
amongst data in a database.

Relational database is very useful in creating multiple tables linked together using
relationship.

Three key terms are used extensively in relational database models, they are:
1. Relations
2. Attributes and
3. Domains.

S/N LAST_NAME FIRST_NAME SEX STATE_OF_ORIGIN ADM_NO PHONE

1 ADE BABATUNDE MALE OGUN 10001 080…
2 JOAN ALEX FEMALE OSUN 10002 070…
3 GIFT CLEMENT MALE KANO 10003 090…
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

RELATIONAL DATABASE (Tables composed of Rows and Columns)

4. Network database or model:
The network model organizes data using two fundamental constructs called
Record and Sets. Its original inventor was Charles Bachman.
Records contain fields (which may be organized hierarchically, as done in COBOL).
Sets define one-to-many relationships between records, one owner, many
members.

It allows many-to-many-relationship, because of the relationship between records

and sets.

Department A Department B

Student A Student B Student C

Project A Project B

NETWORK MODEL

The disadvantages of network database are:

1. It is a complex process to design and develop a network database

2. It has to be refined frequently.

3. Operation and maintenance of the network model is expensive and time

consuming.
GENERAL EVALUATION:
1. List FIVE examples of DBMS
2. Explain any THREE uses of Ms-Access in DBMS.

READING ASSIGNMENT:
Students are expected to read ‘read on how to load and exit Ms-Access.

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT:

1. A Software that controls the storage, retrieval and manipulation of

data stored in a database is called--------
(a) DBMS (b) Database (c) LAN (d) PDMS
2. A single organized collection of data for one or more purposes stored
with minimum duplication, so as to control pool of data is
called…………..
(a) Data (b) Field (c) Records (d) Database
3. Which of these is odd one out in the use of Ms-Access in Database?
(a) Sorting (b)Modifying (c) Searching and report generating
(d) Location
4. The following are examples of DBMS except -------
(a) Ms-Access and FoxBASE (b) Dbase and Sybase (c)
Oracle and MYSQL (d) Paradox and WWW.
5. A computerized system that performs mathematical operations on
input- data to transform it into the output (audio, video, graphic,
numeric or text) form desired by a system user is called-----------
(a) Data processing system (b) Global positioning system (c)
Megatronic systems (d) all of the above.