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Normalization

The document outlines the process of normalization in database design, detailing the different normal forms from Unnormalized Form to Fifth Normal Form. It explains how to achieve each normal form by removing repeating groups, partial dependencies, transitive dependencies, multivalued dependencies, and ensuring candidate keys are present for join dependencies. Each normal form builds upon the previous one, with Boyce-Codd Normal Form being a stricter version of Third Normal Form.

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Normalization

The document outlines the process of normalization in database design, detailing the different normal forms from Unnormalized Form to Fifth Normal Form. It explains how to achieve each normal form by removing repeating groups, partial dependencies, transitive dependencies, multivalued dependencies, and ensuring candidate keys are present for join dependencies. Each normal form builds upon the previous one, with Boyce-Codd Normal Form being a stricter version of Third Normal Form.

Uploaded by

Saman
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Normalization

Unnormalized Form:- A table that contains one or more repeating groups.


First Normal Form:- A relation in which the intersection of each row and column contains one and
only one value.

In this chapter, we begin the process of normalization by first transferring the data from the source
(for example, a standard data entry form) into table format with rows and columns. In this format,
the table is in unnormalized Form and is referred to as an unnormalized table. To transform the
unnormalized table to First Normal Form, we identify and remove repeating groups within the table.
A repeating group is an attribute, or group of attributes, within a table that occurs with multiple
values for a single occurrence of the nominated key attribute(s) for that table. Note that in this
context, the term “key” refers to the attribute(s) that uniquely identify each row within the
Unnormalized table. There are two common approaches to removing repeating groups from
unnormalized tables:

1. By entering appropriate data in the empty columns of rows containing the repeating data. In
other words, we fill in the blanks by duplicating the nonrepeating data, where required. This
approach is commonly referred to as “flattening” the table.
2. By placing the repeating data, along with a copy of the original key attribute(s), in a separate
relation. Sometimes the unnormalized table may contain more than one repeating group, or
repeating groups within repeating groups. In such cases, this approach is applied repeatedly
until no repeating groups remain. A set of relations is in 1NF if it contains no repeating
groups.

For both approaches, the resulting tables are now referred to as 1NF relations containing atomic (or
single) values at the intersection of each row and column.

Second Normal Form:- A relation that is in first normal form and every non-primary-key attribute
is fully functionally dependent on the primary key.

The normalization of 1NF relations to 2NF involves the removal of partial dependencies. If a partial
dependency exists, we remove the partially dependent attribute(s) from the relation by placing them
in a new relation along with a copy of their determinant.

3rd Normal Form:- A relation that is in first and second normal form and in which no non-primary-
key attribute is transitively dependent on the primary key.

The normalization of 2NF relations to 3NF involves the removal of transitive dependencies. If a
transitive dependency exists, we remove the transitively dependent attribute(s) from the relation by
placing the attribute(s) in a new relation along with a copy of the determinant.

Boyce-Codd Normal Form:- A relation is in BCNF if and only if every determinant is a candidate
key.

To test whether a relation is in BCNF, we identify all the determinants and make sure that they are
candidate keys. Recall that a determinant is an attribute, or a group of attributes, on which some
other attribute is fully functionally dependent. The difference between 3NF and BCNF is that for a
functional dependency A→B, 3NF allows this dependency in a relation if B is a primary-key attribute
and A is not a candidate key, whereas BCNF insists that for this dependency to remain in a relation, A
must be a candidate key. Therefore, BCNF is a stronger form of 3NF, such that every relation in BCNF
is also in 3NF. However, a relation in 3NF is not necessarily in BCNF.

Fourth Normal Form:- A relation is in 4NF if and only if for every nontrivial multivalued
dependency A —>> B, A is a candidate key of the relation.

Multi-valued Dependency (MVD):- Represents a dependency between attributes (for example, A,


B, and C) in a relation, such that for each value of A there is a set of values for B and a set of values
for C. However, the set of values for B and C are independent of each other.

Fourth normal form (4NF) prevents a relation from containing a nontrivial MVD without the
associated determinant being a candidate key for the relation (Fagin, 1977). When the 4NF rule is
violated, the potential for data redundancy exists. The normalization of a relation breaking the 4NF
rule requires the removal of the offending MVD from the relation by placing the multi-valued
attribute(s) in a new relation along with a copy of the determinant.

Fifth Normal Form:- A relation is in 5NF if and only if for every join dependency (R1, R2, . . . Rn) in a
relation R, each projection includes a candidate key of the original relation.

Lossless-join dependency:- A property of decomposition that ensures that no spurious tuples are
generated when relations are reunited through a natural join operation.

Fifth normal form (5NF) prevents a relation from containing a nontrivial join dependency (JD)
without the associated projection including a candidate key of the original relation (Fagin, 1977).
Nontrivial JDs that are not associated with candidate keys are very rare, so 4NF relations are
normally also in 5NF.

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