Skip to content

Classification Drills & Keys

Classify each without looking at the key.

  1. Minimal set of attributes that uniquely identifies an entity instance. __________
  2. Candidate key chosen as unique identifier. __________
  3. Composite key whose components are foreign keys. __________
  4. System-generated meaningless technical identifier. __________
  5. How many instances participate in a relationship. __________
  6. Number of entity types in a relationship. __________
  7. Complete valid value set for an attribute. __________
  8. Measured numeric rows in a dimensional structure. __________
  9. Meaning of a single fact-table row. __________
  10. Preserve changing dimension history by adding a new row. __________
  11. High-level model of critical concepts and relationships. __________
  12. Detailed requirements model that is technology-independent. __________
  13. Technology-specific implementation model. __________
  14. Message/payload structure used between systems. __________
  15. Split a table by columns. __________
  16. Split a table by rows. __________
  17. Deliberately add redundancy for physical performance/security. __________
  18. Remove repeating groups and ensure atomic attributes. __________
  19. Move common features into a supertype. __________
  20. Start from an existing database and document upward. __________
  21. Resolve M:M with a relationship entity. __________
  22. Reusable generic modeling structure. __________
  23. Pre-built broad model for an industry. __________
  24. Database-design acronym for Performance/ease, Reusability, Integrity, Security, Maintainability. __________
  25. Quality category asking whether model and actual stored data agree. __________

Classification Key

  1. Candidate key
  2. Primary key
  3. Compound key
  4. Surrogate key
  5. Cardinality
  6. Arity
  7. Domain
  8. Fact table
  9. Grain
  10. SCD Type 2
  11. Conceptual Data Model
  12. Logical Data Model
  13. Physical Data Model
  14. Canonical model
  15. Vertical partitioning
  16. Horizontal partitioning
  17. Denormalization
  18. First Normal Form (1NF)
  19. Generalization
  20. Reverse engineering
  21. Associative entity
  22. Data model pattern
  23. Industry data model
  24. PRISM
  25. Metadata matches the data

Changed-fact extension

After each correct classification, change one fact so a neighboring answer becomes correct. Examples:

  • Candidate → Primary: state that the candidate was selected.
  • Vertical → Horizontal partition: change “columns” to “records by year.”
  • CDM → LDM: add attributes/domains/keys but keep it technology-independent.
  • LDM → PDM: add chosen-DBMS datatypes/indexes/partitions.
  • Standard view → Materialized: require pre-instantiated scheduled result.

← Rebuild Drills · Repair Protocol →