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Lecture 4

Normalization of Database
Tables
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In this Lecture, you will learn:

• What normalization is and what role it plays in
database design
• About the normal forms 1NF, 2NF, 3NF, BCNF, and
4NF
• How normal forms can be transformed from lower
normal forms to higher normal forms
• That normalization and E-R modeling are used
concurrently to produce a good database design
• That some situations require denormalization to
generate information efficiently

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Database Tables and Normalization

• Table is basic building block in database design
• Normalization is process for assigning attributes to
entities
– Reduces data redundancies
– Helps eliminate data anomalies
– Produces controlled redundancies to link tables
• Normalization stages
– 1NF - First normal form
– 2NF - Second normal form
– 3NF - Third normal form
– 4NF - Fourth normal form

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Need for Normalization

Figure 4.1

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Figure 4.1 Observations

• PRO_NUM intended to be primary key
• Table entries invite data inconsistencies
• Table displays data anomalies
– Update
• Modifying JOB_CLASS
– Insertion
• New employee must be assigned project
– Deletion
• If employee deleted, other vital data lost

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Conversion to 1NF
• Repeating groups must be eliminated
– Proper primary key developed
• Uniquely identifies attribute values (rows)
• Combination of PROJ_NUM and EMP_NUM
– Dependencies can be identified
• Desirable dependencies based on primary key
• Less desirable dependencies
– Partial
» based on part of composite primary key
– Transitive
» one nonprime attribute depends on another nonprime
attribute

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Dependency Diagram (1NF)

Figure 4.4

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Data Organization: 1NF

Figure 4.3

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1NF Summarized
• All key attributes defined
• No repeating groups in table
• All attributes dependent on
primary key

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Conversion to 2NF
• Start with 1NF format:
• Write each key component on separate line
• Write original key on last line
• Each component is new table
• Write dependent attributes after each key

PROJECT (PROJ_NUM, PROJ_NAME)

EMPLOYEE (EMP_NUM, EMP_NAME, JOB_CLASS, CHG_HOUR)
ASSIGN (PROJ_NUM, EMP_NUM, HOURS)

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2NF Conversion Results

Figure 4.5

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2NF Summarized
• In 1NF
• Includes no partial dependencies
– No attribute dependent on a portion of primary key
• Still possible to exhibit transitive dependency
– Attributes may be functionally dependent on
nonkey attributes

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Conversion to 3NF
• Create separate table(s) to eliminate transitive
functional dependencies

PROJECT (PROJ_NUM, PROJ_NAME)

ASSIGN (PROJ_NUM, EMP_NUM, HOURS)
EMPLOYEE (EMP_NUM, EMP_NAME, JOB_CLASS)
JOB (JOB_CLASS, CHG_HOUR)

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3NF Summarized
• In 2NF
• Contains no transitive dependencies

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Additional DB Enhancements

Figure 4.6

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Boyce-Codd Normal Form (BCNF)

• Every determinant in the table is a candidate key
– Determinant is attribute whose value determines
other values in row
– 3NF table with one candidate key is already in
BCNF

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3NF Table Not in BCNF

Figure 4.7

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Decomposition of Table
Structure to Meet BCNF

Figure 4.8

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Decomposition into BCNF

Figure 4.9
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Normalization and Database Design

• Normalization should be part of the design
process
• E-R Diagram provides macro view
• Normalization provides micro view of entities
– Focuses on characteristics of specific entities
– May yield additional entities
• Difficult to separate normalization from E-R
diagramming
• Business rules must be determined

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Initial ERD for Contracting Company

Figure 4.10

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Modified ERD for
Contracting Company

Figure 4.11 22
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Final ERD for
Contracting Company

Figure 4.12

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Higher-Level Normal Forms

• Fourth Normal Form (4NF)
– Table is in 3NF
– Has no multiple sets of multivalued dependencies

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Conversion to 4NF

Figure 4.15
Set of Tables in 4NF

Figure 4.14
Multivalued Dependencies

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Denormalization
• Normalization is one of many database design
goals
• Normalized table requirements
– Additional processing
– Loss of system speed
• Normalization purity is difficult to sustain due to
conflict in:
– Design efficiency
– Information requirements
– Processing

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Unnormalized Table Defects

• Data updates less efficient
• Indexing more cumbersome
• No simple strategies for creating views

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