1
Essentials of MIS, 12e (Laudon)
Chapter 6 Foundations of Business Intelligence: Databases and
Information Management
1) Which of the following is an example of a pre-digital database?
A) A library’s card-catalog
B) A cash register receipt
C) A doctor’s office invoice
D) A list of sales totals on a spreadsheet
E) An SQL database
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
LO: 6.1: What is a database and how does a relational database organize data?
2) What is the first step you should take in managing data for a firm?
A) Identify the data needed to run the business.
B) Cleanse the data before importing it to any database.
C) Normalize the data before importing to a database.
D) Audit your data quality.
E) Remove redundancy.
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
LO: 6.1: What is a database and how does a relational database organize data?
3) Which of the following best illustrates the relationship between entities and attributes?
A) The entity CUSTOMER with the attribute PRODUCT
B) The entity CUSTOMER with the attribute ADDRESS
C) The entity PRODUCT with the attribute PURCHASE
D) The entity PRODUCT with the attribute CUSTOMER
E) The entity ADDRESS with the attribute CUSTOMER
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
LO: 6.1: What is a database and how does a relational database organize data?
2
4) Which of the following is the type of logical database model that treats data as if they were
stored in two-dimensional tables?
A) Two-tiered DBMS
B) Pre-digital DBMS
C) Open source DBMS
D) Hierarchical DBMS
E) Relational DBMS
AACSB: Application of Knowledge
LO: 6.1: What is a database and how does a relational database organize data?
5) What are the relationships that the relational database is named for?
A) Relationships between rows and columns
B) Relationships between entities
C) Relationships between fields and records
D) Relationships between databases
E) Relationships between attributes
AACSB: Information Technology
LO: 6.1: What is a database and how does a relational database organize data?
6) A characteristic or quality describing an entity is called a(n):
A) field.
B) tuple.
C) key field.
D) attribute.
E) table.
AACSB: Application of Knowledge
LO: 6.1: What is a database and how does a relational database organize data?
7) The most basic business database is comprised of:
A) three tables: for suppliers, parts, and sales.
B) four tables: for customers, suppliers, parts, and sales.
C) four tables: for customers, suppliers, sales, and employees.
D) five tables: for customers, employees, suppliers, parts, and sales.
E) attributes instead of tables.
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
LO: 6.1: What is a database and how does a relational database organize data?
3
8) In a table for customers, the information about a single customer would reside in a single:
A) field.
B) entity.
C) column.
D) table.
E) row.
AACSB: Application of Knowledge
LO: 6.1: What is a database and how does a relational database organize data?
9) In a relational database, a record is also called a(n):
A) tuple.
B) key field.
C) entity.
D) field.
E) table.
AACSB: Application of Knowledge
LO: 6.1: What is a database and how does a relational database organize data?
10) A field identified in a table as holding the unique identifier of the table’s records is called the:
A) primary key.
B) key field.
C) primary field.
D) foreign key.
E) identifying field.
AACSB: Application of Knowledge
LO: 6.1: What is a database and how does a relational database organize data?
11) A field identified in a record as holding the unique identifier for that record is called the:
A) primary key.
B) key field.
C) primary field.
D) foreign key.
E) identifying field.
AACSB: Application of Knowledge
LO: 6.1: What is a database and how does a relational database organize data?
4
12) A schematic of the entire database that describes the relationships in a database is called a(n):
A) data dictionary.
B) intersection relationship diagram.
C) field key diagram.
D) data definition diagram.
E) entity-relationship diagram.
AACSB: Application of Knowledge
LO: 6.1: What is a database and how does a relational database organize data?
13) A one-to-one relationship between two entities is symbolized in a diagram by a line that
ends:
A) in two short marks.
B) in one short mark.
C) with a crow’s foot.
D) with a crow’s foot topped by a short mark.
E) with a crow’s foot topped by two short marks.
AACSB: Application of Knowledge
LO: 6.1: What is a database and how does a relational database organize data?
14) A one-to-many relationship between two entities is symbolized in a diagram by a line that
ends:
A) in two short marks.
B) in one short mark.
C) with a crow’s foot.
D) with a crow’s foot preceded by a short mark.
E) in three short marks.
AACSB: Application of Knowledge
LO: 6.1: What is a database and how does a relational database organize data?
15) A table that links two tables that have a many-to-many relationship is often called a(n):
A) derived table.
B) intersection relation.
C) foreign table.
D) entity-relationship table.
E) derived relation.
AACSB: Application of Knowledge
LO: 6.1: What is a database and how does a relational database organize data?
5
16) The process of streamlining data to minimize redundancy and awkward many-to-many
relationships is called:
A) normalization.
B) data scrubbing.
C) data cleansing.
D) data administration.
E) data management.
AACSB: Information Technology
LO: 6.1: What is a database and how does a relational database organize data?
17) Which of the following best describes the importance of creating an accurate data model for
your business’s database?
A) It is not essential, as the data model itself is modified by the database continuously.
B) It is critical, as without one, your data may be inaccurate, incomplete, or difficult to retrieve.
C) It is essential, as table relationships cannot be created without an accurate data model.
D) It is somewhat important, as the type of data model will define what kinds of data will be
stored.
E) It is unnecessary, as a well-designed database should not require one.
AACSB: Information Technology
LO: 6.1: What is a database and how does a relational database organize data?
18) You are working in the IT department of a small paper supply company and planning a new
database that monitors employee benefits and productivity. What would be the relationship you
need to establish between Employee_ID in the Employee table and Parking_spot_number in the
Perks table?
A) One-to-many
B) One-to-one
C) Many-to-many
D) Many-to-one
E) One-to-all
AACSB: Information Technology
LO: 6.1: What is a database and how does a relational database organize data?
6
19) Relational database systems use ________ to ensure that relationships between coupled
tables remain consistent.
A) intersection relations
B) one-to-one ordering
C) entity-relationship diagrams
D) foreign keys
E) referential integrity rules
AACSB: Information Technology
LO: 6.1: What is a database and how does a relational database organize data?
20) The smallest unit of data a computer can handle is called a:
A) file.
B) record.
C) field.
D) byte.
E) bit.
AACSB: Information Technology
LO: 6.1: What is a database and how does a relational database organize data?
21) A grouping of characters into a word, a group of words, or a complete number is called a
record.
AACSB: Information Technology
LO: 6.1: What is a database and how does a relational database organize data?
22) Every record in a file should contain at least one key field.
AACSB: Information Technology
LO: 6.1: What is a database and how does a relational database organize data?
23) A foreign key is a field that links to a separate table.
AACSB: Information Technology
LO: 6.1: What is a database and how does a relational database organize data?
7
24) A small publishing company that you work for would like to develop a database that keeps
track of the contracts that authors and publishers sign before starting a book. What fields do you
anticipate needing for this database? Identify at least seven fields. Which of these fields might be
in use in other databases within the firm?
AACSB: Information Technology; Written and Oral Communication
LO: 6.1: What is a database and how does a relational database organize data?
25) What types of relationships are possible in a relational database? Describe and give an
example of each.
AACSB: Information Technology; Written and Oral Communication
LO: 6.1: What is a database and how does a relational database organize data?
26) The small publishing company you work for wants to create a new database for storing
information about all of their author contracts. What difficulties do you anticipate?
AACSB: Information Technology; Written and Oral Communication
LO: 6.1: What is a database and how does a relational database organize data?
8
27) A DBMS makes the:
A) relational database available for different analytical views.
B) logical database available for different analytical views.
C) physical database available for different relational views.
D) relational database available for different physical views.
E) physical database available for different logical views.
AACSB: Information Technology
LO: 6.2: What are the principles of a database management system?
28) The logical view of a database:
A) shows how data are organized and structured on the storage media.
B) presents an entry screen to the user.
C) allows the creation of supplementary reports.
D) presents data as they would be perceived by end users.
E) shows the relationships between entities and attributes.
AACSB: Information Technology
LO: 6.2: What are the principles of a database management system?
29) Which of the following allows users to add, change, delete, or retrieve data in a database?
A) Attribute generation
B) Report generation tools
C) Data dictionary
D) Query wizard tool
E) Data manipulation language
AACSB: Information Technology
LO: 6.2: What are the principles of a database management system?
30) In a relational database, the three basic operations used to develop useful sets of data are:
A) select, project, and where.
B) select, join, and where.
C) select, project, and join.
D) select, from, and join.
E) who, what, and where.
AACSB: Information Technology
LO: 6.2: What are the principles of a database management system?
9
31) The select operation:
A) combines relational tables to provide the user with more information than is otherwise
available.
B) creates a subset consisting of columns in a table.
C) identifies the table from which the columns will be selected.
D) creates a subset consisting of all records in the file that meet stated criteria.
E) specifies the content of the database.
AACSB: Information Technology
LO: 6.2: What are the principles of a database management system?
32) The project operation:
A) combines relational tables to provide the user with more information than is otherwise
available.
B) creates a subset consisting of columns in a table.
C) organizes elements into segments.
D) identifies the table from which the columns will be selected.
E) stores definitions of data elements.
AACSB: Information Technology
LO: 6.2: What are the principles of a database management system?
33) Which of the following is an automated or manual file that stores information about data
elements and data characteristics such as usage, physical representation, ownership,
authorization, and security?
A) Referential integrity module
B) Data definition diagram
C) Entity-relationship diagram
D) Relationship dictionary
E) Data dictionary
AACSB: Information Technology
LO: 6.2: What are the principles of a database management system?
34) Which of the following is the most prominent data manipulation language today?
A) Access
B) DB2
C) SQL
D) Crystal Reports
E) Hadoop
AACSB: Information Technology
LO: 6.2: What are the principles of a database management system?
10
35) What is the purpose of a DBMS’s data definition function?
A) Storing and managing the data in the database
B) Storing definitions of data elements
C) Normalizing the database
D) Structuring the database
E) Ensuring consistency of relationships
AACSB: Information Technology
LO: 6.2: What are the principles of a database management system?
36) Both Oracle and Microsoft Access use SQL to retrieve information from a database.
AACSB: Information Technology
LO: 6.2: What are the principles of a database management system?
37) DBMS simplify how end users work with databases by separating the logical and physical
views of the data.
AACSB: Information Technology
LO: 6.2: What are the principles of a database management system?
38) A DBMS is special software for creating, storing, organizing, and accessing data from a
database.
AACSB: Information Technology
LO: 6.2: What are the principles of a database management system?
39) A physical view shows data as it is organized on the storage media.
AACSB: Information Technology
LO: 6.2: What are the principles of a database management system?
40) End users use a data manipulation language to manipulate data in the database.
AACSB: Information Technology
LO: 6.2: What are the principles of a database management system?