CS157a Fall 2005Practice Midterm 1

[Student Generated Solutions-PDF]

To study for the midterm I would suggest you: (1) Know how to do (by heart) all the practice problems. (2) Go over your notes at least three times. Second and third time try to see how much you can remember from the first time. (3) Go over the homework problems. (4) Try to create your own problems similar to the ones I have given and solve them. (5) Skim the relevant sections from the book. (6) If you want to study in groups, at this point you are ready to quiz each other. The practice midterm is below. Here are some facts about the actual midterm: (a) The midterm will be in class Sep 28. (b) It is closed book, closed notes. Nothing will be permitted on your desk except your pen (pencil) and test. (c) You should bring photo ID. (d) There will be more than one version of the test. Each version will be of comparable difficulty. (e) If your cell-phone or beeper goes off you will be excused from the test at that point and graded on what you have done till your excusal. (f) One problem (less typos) on the actual test will be from the practice test.

1. Define the following database terms: universe of discourse, data, parametric user.

2. Give four different kinds of data models and give a brief explanation of each.

3. Explain what the three schema architecture is.

4. Explain how the centralized server architecture and the client-server architecture differ.

5. You are required to develop an inventory management system for a pet-store chain. Write down some requirements you think such a system might have. Then draw a simple ER diagram for these requirements which illustrates each of the features of the ER model.

6. Give the formal definition of specialization in the EER model. Show how specialization is drawn in an EER diagram.

7. What is an ontology? What is the semantic web?

8. Give an example of a relation in which there is a two attribute key. In your same example, point out an example superkey which is not a key. In each case, explain your answer.

9. Define the following terms: referential integrity constraint, entity integrity constraint.

10. What is relation intension versus relation extension? What is first normal form?