Gambella University
Department of Computer Science
Database Systems questions for Exit-exam preparation 2016 E.C
Choose the best answer for the following multiple choice questions.
1. Which of the following best defines a database?
a) A collection of related tables b) A collection of files stored on a computer
c) A collection of data stored in memory d) A collection of programming code
Answer: a) A collection of related tables
2. Which of the following is a key component of a database system?
a) Data entry forms b) Database tables c) Operating system d) Application software
Answer: b) Database tables
3. What is the purpose of normalization in database design?
a) To eliminate redundancy and improve efficiency b) To store large binary objects
c) To enforce data integrity constraints d) To improve query performance
Answer: a) To eliminate redundancy and improve efficiency
4. Which of the following is a primary key in a relational database?
a) A column that uniquely identifies each row in a table
b) A column that allows NULL values
c) A column that stores numeric values
d) A column that stores character strings
Answer: a) A column that uniquely identifies each row in a table
5. Which of the following best describes normalization in database design?
a) The process of breaking down a large database into smaller, manageable parts
b) The process of ensuring data is accurate and consistent
c) The process of organizing data to eliminate redundancy and improve efficiency
d) The process of securing a database from unauthorized access
Answer: c) The process of organizing data to eliminate redundancy and improve efficiency
6. In the context of a database system, which of the following best describes a user?
a) An individual who interacts directly with the database system
b) A program or application that accesses the database
c) A database administrator responsible for managing the system
d) A hardware component used to store the database
Answer: a) An individual who interacts directly with the database system
PREPARED BY: MR. AKLILU THOMAS (MSC), GAMBELLA UNIVERSITY, ETHIOPIA 1
7. Which of the following is an example of an external user of a database system?
a) Database administrator b) Application programmer
c) End user performing data entry d) System analyst
Answer: c) End user performing data entry
8. Which of the following is an example of an indirect user of a database system?
a) Database administrator b) Data analyst generating reports
c) End user querying the database d) Middleware application accessing the database
Answer: d) Middleware application accessing the database
9. What is the purpose of the DBMS in a database system architecture?
a) To store and retrieve data from the database
b) To manage the hardware components of the system
c) To provide a graphical user interface for database operations
d) To enforce security and access control policies
Answer: a) To store and retrieve data from the database
10. Which of the following components is responsible for managing concurrent access to the
database?
a) Query optimizer b) Transaction manager c) Buffer manager d) Database administrator
Answer: b) Transaction manager
11. What is the function of the query optimizer in a database system architecture?
a) To interpret SQL queries and generate query execution plans
b) To manage the storage of database files on disk
c) To enforce data integrity constraints
d) To provide a user interface for querying the database
Answer: a) To interpret SQL queries and generate query execution plans
12. Which component of the database system architecture is responsible for managing the
physical storage of data on disk?
a) Query processor b) Buffer manager c) Storage manager d) Transaction manager
Answer: c) Storage manager
13. What is the role of the database administrator (DBA) in a database system architecture?
a) To design and create the database schema
b) To manage and monitor the performance of the database system
c) To enforce security policies and manage user access
d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above
PREPARED BY: MR. AKLILU THOMAS (MSC), GAMBELLA UNIVERSITY, ETHIOPIA 2
14. Which of the following best describes a data model?
a) A visual representation of data stored in a database
b) A set of rules for organizing and representing data
c) A collection of database tables
d) A programming language for querying databases
Answer: b) A set of rules for organizing and representing data
15. Which data model represents data as a collection of objects with properties and behaviors?
a) Relational data model b) Object-oriented data model
c) Hierarchical data model d) Network data model
Answer: b) Object-oriented data model
16. What is the primary purpose of SQL in a database system?
a) Defining the structure and organization of the database
b) Manipulating and retrieving data from the database
c) Implementing security measures in the database
d) Optimizing query performance in the database
Answer: b) Manipulating and retrieving data from the database
17. Which of the following components is responsible for managing the physical storage of
data on disk in a database system?
a) Query optimizer b) Transaction manager
c) Buffer manager d) Storage manager
Answer: d) Storage manager
18. Which of the following is an example of a database system environment?
a) Hardware components such as servers and storage devices
b) Database administrators and end-users
c) Database management system (DBMS) software
d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above
19. What is the purpose of the database catalog or data dictionary in a database system
environment?
a) To store the actual data in the database
b) To manage user access and security
c) To provide metadata about the database objects and their relationships
d) To optimize query execution performance
Answer: c) To provide metadata about the database objects and their relationships
PREPARED BY: MR. AKLILU THOMAS (MSC), GAMBELLA UNIVERSITY, ETHIOPIA 3
20. Which of the following is a characteristic of a relational database management system
(RDBMS)?
a) Stores data in a hierarchical structure
b) Supports complex object-oriented data models
c) Organizes data in tables with relationships between them
d) Stores and retrieves data using NoSQL technology
Answer: c) Organizes data in tables with relationships between them
21. Which type of database management system is optimized for handling large volumes of
data stored across multiple servers?
a) Relational DBMS b) Object-Oriented DBMS
c) Distributed DBMS d) Hierarchical DBMS
Answer: c) Distributed DBMS
22. Which type of database management system is designed for managing unstructured or
semi-structured data like documents, images, and multimedia?
a) Relational DBMS b) NoSQL DBMS c) Object-Oriented DBMS d) Distributed DBMS
Answer: b) NoSQL DBMS
23. Which type of database management system is used for real-time applications and is
capable of handling high-speed data streams?
a) Relational DBMS b) Time-Series DBMS
c) Object-Oriented DBMS d) Hierarchical DBMS
Answer: b) Time-Series DBMS
24. What is the purpose of database modeling?
a) To design user interfaces for database applications
b) To create a physical implementation of the database
c) To represent the structure and relationships of data in a database
d) To optimize query performance in the database
Answer: c) To represent the structure and relationships of data in a database
25. Which of the following is a primary goal of entity-relationship (ER) modeling?
a) To define the physical storage structure of the database
b) To identify and represent entities, attributes, and relationships
c) To generate SQL queries for data retrieval
d) To enforce security measures in the database
Answer: b) To identify and represent entities, attributes, and relationships
PREPARED BY: MR. AKLILU THOMAS (MSC), GAMBELLA UNIVERSITY, ETHIOPIA 4
26. What is the purpose of normalization in database modeling?
a) To eliminate redundancy and improve efficiency b) To store large binary objects
c) To enforce data integrity constraints d) To improve query performance in the database
Answer: a) To eliminate redundancy and improve efficiency
27. What is the purpose of an attribute in the entity-relationship (ER) model?
a) To represent a relationship between entities
b) To define the physical storage structure of the database
c) To identify a primary key for an entity
d) To describe a characteristic or property of an entity
Answer: d) To describe a characteristic or property of an entity
28. What is the purpose of a weak entity in the entity-relationship (ER) model?
a) To represent an entity that cannot exist without a related entity
b) To represent a many-to-many relationship between entities
c) To enforce referential integrity in the database
d) To define the primary key for an entity
Answer: a) To represent an entity that cannot exist without a related entity
29. What is the purpose of a relationship attribute in the entity-relationship (ER) model?
a) To describe a characteristic or property of a relationship
b) To connect two entities in a relationship
c) To enforce referential integrity constraints
d) To define the primary key for a relationship
Answer: a) To describe a characteristic or property of a relationship
30. What is a relational schema?
a) A graphical representation of table relationships
b) A collection of tables and their attributes
c) A set of rules for data manipulation
d) A formal language for defining database queries
Answer: b) A collection of tables and their attributes
31. Relational algebra is a(n) ___________ language for manipulating relational data.
a) Object-oriented b) Procedural c) Declarative d) Imperative
Answer: c) Declarative
PREPARED BY: MR. AKLILU THOMAS (MSC), GAMBELLA UNIVERSITY, ETHIOPIA 5
32. The projection operation in relational algebra is used to:
a) Combine tuples from two relations based on a common attribute
b) Remove duplicate tuples from a relation
c) Select specific columns or attributes from a relation
d) Perform arithmetic operations on attribute values
Answer: c) Select specific columns or attributes from a relation
33. Which of the following is a relational calculus operator that defines the condition for
selecting tuples from a relation?
a) JOIN b) PROJECT c) SELECT d) WHERE
Answer: d) WHERE
34. Which of the following normalization forms ensures that each non-key attribute is
functionally dependent on the entire primary key?
a) First Normal Form (1NF) b) Second Normal Form (2NF)
c) Third Normal Form (3NF) d) Boyce-Codd Normal Form (BCNF)
Answer: c) Third Normal Form (3NF)
35. In database normalization, the process of breaking down a table into multiple tables to
eliminate data redundancy is known as:
a) Normalization b) Decomposition c) Denormalization d) Aggregation
Answer: b) Decomposition
36. Which of the following normalization forms addresses the issue of transitive functional
dependencies?
a) First Normal Form (1NF) b) Second Normal Form (2NF)
c) Third Normal Form (3NF) d) Boyce-Codd Normal Form (BCNF)
Answer: c) Third Normal Form (3NF)
37. Which of the following file organizations is based on a sequence of fixed-length records
and allows direct access to any record using a unique record identifier?
a) Heap file organization b) Sequential file organization
c) Hash file organization d) Indexed file organization
Answer: d) Indexed file organization
38. Which file organization is most suitable for applications that require frequent insertion
and deletion of records, as well as dynamic record length?
a) Heap file organization b) Sequential file organization
c) Hash file organization d) B-tree file organization
Answer: a) Heap file organization
PREPARED BY: MR. AKLILU THOMAS (MSC), GAMBELLA UNIVERSITY, ETHIOPIA 6
39. In which file organization are records physically ordered based on the values of a
specified field or set of fields?
a) Heap file organization b) Sequential file organization
c) Hash file organization d) B-tree file organization
Answer: b) Sequential file organization
40. Which file organization is commonly used for indexing in database systems and provides
efficient access to records based on search keys?
a) Heap file organization b) Sequential file organization
c) Hash file organization d) B-tree file organization
Answer: d) B-tree file organization
41. SQL stands for:
a) Standard Query Language b) Structured Query Language
c) System Query Language d) Sequential Query Language
Answer: b) Structured Query Language
42. Which of the following SQL statements is used to retrieve data from a database?
a) INSERT b) UPDATE c) SELECT d) DELETE
Answer: c) SELECT
43. The SQL statement "SELECT * FROM Customers" retrieves:
a) All columns from the Customers table
b) Only the primary key from the Customers table
c) All rows from the Customers table
d) Only the first row from the Customers table
Answer: a) All columns from the Customers table
44. The SQL statement "SELECT COUNT(*) FROM Orders WHERE OrderDate > '2024-
01-01'" returns:
a) The total number of orders b) The average order value
c) The number of orders placed after January 1, 2024 d) The maximum order date
Answer: c) The number of orders placed after January 1, 2022
45. Which of the following is a key characteristic of a distributed database system?
a) Centralized storage and processing b) Data redundancy and inconsistency
c) Data fragmentation and distribution d) Limited scalability and availability
Answer: c) Data fragmentation and distribution
PREPARED BY: MR. AKLILU THOMAS (MSC), GAMBELLA UNIVERSITY, ETHIOPIA 7
46. What is the purpose of a database transaction in a database system?
a) To provide security and access control b) To manage data concurrency and consistency
c) To enforce data integrity constraints d) To optimize query performance
Answer: b) To manage data concurrency and consistency
47. Which of the following is an example of a NoSQL database model?
a) Relational database model b) Hierarchical database model
c) Document database model d) Network database model
Answer: c) Document database model
48. Which database technology is designed to handle large volumes of unstructured and
semi-structured data?
a) Relational database management system b) Object-oriented database management system
c) Data warehousing system d) Big data platform
Answer: d) Big data platform
49. What is the purpose of a data warehouse in a database system?
a) To store and manage operational data
b) To provide real-time data processing capabilities
c) To support online transaction processing (OLTP)
d) To facilitate business intelligence and analytics
Answer: d) To facilitate business intelligence and analytics
50. What is the purpose of a data replication strategy in a distributed database system?
a) To improve query performance by caching data locally
b) To ensure data availability and fault tolerance
c) To enforce data consistency across distributed sites
d) To facilitate data integration and consolidation
Answer: b) To ensure data availability and fault tolerance
PREPARED BY: MR. AKLILU THOMAS (MSC), GAMBELLA UNIVERSITY, ETHIOPIA 8
Advanced Database Questions
51. What is the main advantage of an object-oriented database over a relational database?
a) Improved query performance
b) Enhanced data security
c) Support for complex data types and relationships
d) Simplified data modeling
Answer: c) Support for complex data types and relationships
52. Which of the following is a key feature of an object-oriented database?
a) Tabular data representation
b) Structured Query Language (SQL) support
c) Class-based data modeling
d) Normalization and referential integrity
Answer: c) Class-based data modeling
53. Which of the following is a benefit of encapsulation in object-oriented databases?
a) Data redundancy reduction b) Improved data integrity
c) Enhanced data security d) Simplified data access and manipulation
Answer: c) Enhanced data security
54. In an object-oriented database, inheritance allows:
a) Data redundancy elimination b) Data sharing and reusability
c) Data normalization and optimization d) Data indexing and sorting
Answer: b) Data sharing and reusability
55. Object-oriented databases are particularly suitable for applications that involve:
a) Simple and static data structures b) Large-scale transaction processing
c) Complex and dynamic data relationships d) Tabular data storage and retrieval
Answer: c) Complex and dynamic data relationships
56. Which of the following is the correct order of the basic steps in query processing?
a) Parsing, optimization, execution b) Execution, optimization, parsing
c) Optimization, parsing, execution d) Parsing, execution, optimization
Answer: a) Parsing, optimization, execution
57. The process of transforming a high-level SQL query into a more efficient representation
that can be executed by the database is called:
a) Parsing b) Optimization c) Execution d) Compilation
Answer: b) Optimization
PREPARED BY: MR. AKLILU THOMAS (MSC), GAMBELLA UNIVERSITY, ETHIOPIA 9
58. Which component of a database system is responsible for parsing and validating SQL
queries?
a) Query optimizer b) Query executor c) Query compiler d) Query scheduler
Answer: c) Query compiler
59. Which of the following techniques is used in query optimization to determine the most
efficient execution plan for a given query?
a) Indexing b) Join techniques c) Cost estimation d) Query rewriting
Answer: c) Cost estimation
60. Which of the following is a goal of query optimization?
a) Minimizing the number of queries executed
b) Maximizing the number of indexes used
c) Minimizing the time taken to execute a query
d) Maximizing the size of the result set
Answer: c) Minimizing the time taken to execute a query
61. The cost-based query optimization approach involves:
a) Using predefined rules and heuristics to generate execution plans
b) Estimating the execution time and choosing the plan with the lowest cost
c) Enumerating all possible execution plans and selecting the best one
d) Optimizing queries based on the size of the result set
Answer: b) Estimating the execution time and choosing the plan with the lowest cost
62. In query optimization, cardinality estimation refers to:
a) Estimating the number of tables in a database
b) Estimating the number of columns in a table
c) Estimating the number of rows in a table or result set
d) Estimating the number of joins in a query
Answer: c) Estimating the number of rows in a table or result set
63. In the context of databases, a transaction refers to:
a) A collection of SQL queries b) A unit of work that is performed on a database
c) A database schema definition d) A database backup operation
Answer: b) A unit of work that is performed on a database
64. ACID stands for:
a) Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability
b) Accuracy, Completeness, Integration, Durability
c) Atomicity, Concurrency, Integrity, Durability
d) Availability, Consistency, Isolation, Durability
Answer: a) Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability
PREPARED BY: MR. AKLILU THOMAS (MSC), GAMBELLA UNIVERSITY, ETHIOPIA 10
65. The atomicity property of a transaction ensures that:
a) The transaction can be rolled back if an error occurs
b) The transaction's changes are consistent with the database's integrity constraints
c) The transaction's changes are isolated from other concurrently executing transactions
d) The transaction's changes are permanently stored in the database
Answer: a) The transaction can be rolled back if an error occurs
66. The isolation property of a transaction ensures that:
a) Concurrently executing transactions do not interfere with each other
b) The transaction's changes are permanently stored in the database
c) The transaction can be rolled back if an error occurs
d) The transaction's changes are consistent with the database's integrity constraints
Answer: a) Concurrently executing transactions do not interfere with each other
67. Which of the following is a basic concurrency control technique that ensures exclusive
access to data?
a) Two-Phase Locking (2PL) b) Timestamp Ordering
c) Optimistic Concurrency Control (OCC) d) Multi-Version Concurrency Control (MVCC)
Answer: a) Two-Phase Locking (2PL)
68. Which concurrency control technique allows transactions to proceed without acquiring
locks and checks for conflicts at the time of committing?
a) Two-Phase Locking (2PL) b) Timestamp Ordering
c) Optimistic Concurrency Control (OCC) d) Multi-Version Concurrency Control (MVCC)
Answer: c) Optimistic Concurrency Control (OCC)
69. In Timestamp Ordering, how are conflicting transactions resolved?
a) The transaction with the highest timestamp is rolled back.
b) The transaction with the lowest timestamp is rolled back.
c) Both conflicting transactions are rolled back.
d) The conflicting operations of one transaction are delayed until the other completes.
Answer: a) The transaction with the highest timestamp is rolled back.
70. Multi-Version Concurrency Control (MVCC) allows concurrent transactions to:
a) Access and modify the same data simultaneously.
b) Read consistent snapshots of the database.
c) Acquire exclusive locks on data items.
d) Execute in a serial order.
Answer: b) Read consistent snapshots of the database.
PREPARED BY: MR. AKLILU THOMAS (MSC), GAMBELLA UNIVERSITY, ETHIOPIA 11
71. A deadlock in concurrency control occurs when:
a) Two or more transactions are waiting for each other to release resources.
b) Transactions access inconsistent data.
c) Transactions violate integrity constraints.
d) The system crashes during transaction execution.
Answer: a) Two or more transactions are waiting for each other to release resources.
72. Which of the following is a database recovery technique that brings the database to a
consistent state after a system failure?
a) Checkpointing b) Logging c) Rollback d) Restart
Answer: c) Rollback
73. Logging in database recovery involves:
a) Creating a backup of the database
b) Storing a record of all changes made to the database in a log file
c) Rebuilding the database from scratch
d) Performing periodic integrity checks on the database
Answer: b) Storing a record of all changes made to the database in a log file
74. Checkpointing in database recovery refers to:
a) Creating a copy of the database at a specific point in time
b) Storing a record of all changes made to the database in a log file
c) Rebuilding the database from scratch
d) Performing periodic integrity checks on the database
Answer: a) Creating a copy of the database at a specific point in time
75. The process of applying logged changes to the database during recovery is called:
a) Rollback b) Redo c) Undo d) Restore
Answer: b) Redo
76. In database recovery, the undo phase involves:
a) Reapplying changes made by a committed transaction
b) Rolling back changes made by an incomplete or failed transaction
c) Creating a backup of the database
d) Performing integrity checks on the database
Answer: b) Rolling back changes made by an incomplete or failed transaction
PREPARED BY: MR. AKLILU THOMAS (MSC), GAMBELLA UNIVERSITY, ETHIOPIA 12
77. Database security refers to:
a) Protecting the physical infrastructure of a database
b) Securing the network connections to a database
c) Protecting the data stored in a database from unauthorized access
d) Ensuring high availability and performance of a database
Answer: c) Protecting the data stored in a database from unauthorized access
78. Authentication in database security refers to:
a) Encrypting data to prevent unauthorized access
b) Verifying the identity of users or applications accessing a database
c) Granting or denying privileges to users or roles to access or modify data
d) Protecting the database from hardware failures or natural disasters
Answer: b) Verifying the identity of users or applications accessing a database
79. Encryption in database security refers to:
a) Verifying the integrity of data stored in a database
b) Restricting access to a database based on IP addresses
c) Encoding data to prevent unauthorized reading or modification
d) Protecting the database from power outages or system crashes
Answer: c) Encoding data to prevent unauthorized reading or modification
80. Role-based access control (RBAC) in database security involves:
a) Encrypting all data stored in a database
b) Restricting access to a database based on user roles or job functions
c) Monitoring and logging all activity in a database
d) Protecting the database from hardware failures or natural disasters
Answer: b) Restricting access to a database based on user roles or job functions
81. Database auditing in database security refers to:
a) Encrypting sensitive data in a database
b) Monitoring and logging all activity in a database
c) Verifying the integrity of data stored in a database
d) Protecting the database from network attacks
Answer: b) Monitoring and logging all activity in a database
82. Which of the following is a key advantage of distributed database systems?
a) Improved data security
b) Reduced hardware costs
c) Enhanced data availability and reliability
d) Simplified data management
Answer: c) Enhanced data availability and reliability
PREPARED BY: MR. AKLILU THOMAS (MSC), GAMBELLA UNIVERSITY, ETHIOPIA 13
83. In a distributed database system, data fragmentation refers to:
a) Breaking data into smaller pieces and storing them at different locations
b) Encrypting data to ensure its security during transmission
c) Replicating data across multiple servers for redundancy
d) Combining data from different sources to create a unified view
Answer: a) Breaking data into smaller pieces and storing them at different locations
84. Concurrency control in distributed database systems refers to:
a) Ensuring that multiple transactions can access and modify the same data concurrently
b) Managing the distribution of data across multiple sites
c) Coordinating the execution of distributed transactions to maintain data consistency
d) Encrypting data to prevent unauthorized access
Answer: c) Coordinating the execution of distributed transactions to maintain data consistency
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The End !!!
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Prepared By: Mr. Aklilu Thomas (MSc.)
01/08/2016 E.C
Gambella University
Ethiopia
PREPARED BY: MR. AKLILU THOMAS (MSC), GAMBELLA UNIVERSITY, ETHIOPIA 14
