Chapter 5

Normalization of
Database Tables
BY PN.SRI YUSMAWATI MOHD
YUNUS
FSKM UiTMCNS
 Learning Objectives
l e a r n
u wi l l
Yo
What normalization is and what role it plays in the database design
process

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 ER modeling are used concurrently to

produce a good database design

That some situations require denormalization to generate

information efficiently
 Normalization
Evaluating and correcting table structures to minimize data redundancies

Reduces data anomalies

Assigns attributes to tables based on determination

Normal forms
First normal form (1NF) Second normal form (2NF) Third normal form (3NF)

Structural point of view of normal forms

Higher normal forms are better than lower normal forms

Properly designed 3NF structures meet the requirement of fourth normal

form (4NF)

Denormalization: Produces a lower normal form

Results in increased performance and greater data redundancy
 ?

Used while designing a new database structure

• Analyzes the relationship among the attributes within each
entity
• Determines if the structure can be improved

Improves the existing data structure and creates an

appropriate database design

Objective:
To ensure that each table conforms to the concept of
well-formed relations
 Normalization
Process
Each table represents a single subject

No data item will be unnecessarily stored in more than one table

All nonprime attributes in a table are dependent on the primary key

Each table is void of insertion, update, and deletion anomalies

Ensures that all tables are in at least 3NF

Higher forms are not likely to be encountered in business environment

Works one relation at a time

Starts by:
Identifying the dependencies of a relation Progressively breaking the relation into new set
(table) of relations
Normal Forms
 Functional
Dependence Concepts
Concept Definition
Functional dependence The attribute B is fully functionally dependent on the
attribute A if each value of A determines one and only one
value of B.

Functional dependence Attribute A determines attribute B if all of the rows in the

(Generalized definition) table that agree in value for attribute A also agree in value
for attribute B.

Fully functional dependence If attribute B is functionally dependent on a composite

(composite key) key A but not on any
Subset of that composite key, the attribute B is fully
functionally dependent on A.
 Types of Functional
Dependencies
Partial dependency: Functional
dependence in which the determinant
is only part of the primary key

• Assumption - One candidate key

• Straight forward
• Easy to identify

Transitive dependency: An attribute

functionally depends on another
nonkey attribute
 Conversion to First
Normal Form
Repeating group: Group of multiple entries of same type can exist for any single key attribute occurrence

Enable reducing data redundancies

Steps
Eliminate the repeating groups Identify the primary key Identify all dependencies

Helps to get anDependency

overview ofdiagram: Depicts among
all relationships all dependencies
Makesfound within
it less likelygiven table
that an structuredependency will
important
table’s attributes be overlooked

1NF describes
There tabular format
are no repeating in in
groups which:
the All attributes are dependent on the
All key attributes are defined
table primary key

All relational tables satisfy 1NF requirements

Some tables contain partial dependencies

Subject to data redundancies and various anomalies
 Conversion to Second
Normal Form
Steps Table is in 2NF when it:
Make new tables to eliminate
Is in 1NF
partial dependencies

Reassign corresponding Includes no partial

dependent attributes dependencies
 Conversion to Third
Normal Form
Steps Table is in 3NF when it:
Make new tables to eliminate transitive
Is in 2NF
dependencies

Reassign corresponding dependent

Contains no transitive dependencies
attributes
 Requirements for Good
Normalized Set of Tables
Evaluate PK assignments and naming conventions

Refine attribute atomicity

• Atomic attribute: Cannot be further subdivided

• Atomicity: Characteristic of an atomic attribute

Identify new attributes and new relationships

Refine primary keys as required for data granularity

• Granularity: Level of detail represented by the values stored in a

table’s row

Maintain historical accuracy and evaluate using

derived attributes
 The Completed Database
1

2
3

4
 Surrogate Keys

Used by designers when the primary key is

considered to be unsuitable

System-defined attribute

Created an managed via the DBMS

Have a numeric value which is automatically

incremented for each new row
 The Boyce-Codd
Normal Form (BCNF)

Every determinant in the table should be a candidate key

• Candidate key - Same characteristics as primary key but not chosen to be the primary
key

Equivalent to 3NF when the table contains only one

candidate key

Violated only when the table contains more than one

candidate key

Considered to be a special case of 3NF

A Table That is in 3NF and not in BCNF

Sample Data for a BCNF Conversion

Decomposition
to BCNF
 Forth Normal Form
(4NF)
Table is in 4NF when it:

• Is in 3NF
• Has no multivalued dependencies

Rules

• All attributes must be dependent on the primary key, but they must be
independent of each other
• No row may contain two or more multivalued facts about an entity 4NF

Tables with Multivalued Dependencies

A Set of Tables in 4NF
 Normalization and
Database Design

Principles and
normalization
procedures to be
Proposed entities understood to
Normalization should must meet required redesign and modify
be part of the design the normal form databases
process before table • ERD is created through an
structures are created iterative process
• Normalization focuses on
the characteristics of
specific entities
Initial ERD

Modified ERD
Incorrect M:N

Final ERD
The Implemented Database
 Denormalization

Design goals
Creation of normalized relations Processing requirements and speed

Number of database tables expands when tables are decomposed to conform to

normalization requirements

Joining a larger number of tables:

Takes additional input/output (I/O) operations
Reduces system speed
and processing logic

Defects in unnormalized tables

No simple strategies for
Data updates are less efficient
Indexing is more cumbersome creating virtual tables known as
because tables are larger
views
Data-Modeling Checklist