Chapter 2 Data Models

Chapter 2
Data Models

If you can write precise business rules from a description of operations, database design
is not that difficult.

What are business rules, what is their source, and why are they crucial?

Business rules are precisely written and unambiguous statements that are derived from a detailed
description of an organization's operations. When written properly, business rules define one or more of
the following modeling components:
 entities
 relationships
 attributes
 connectivities
 cardinalities – these will be examined in detail in Chapter 3, “The Relational Database Model.”
Basically, the cardinalities yield the minimum and maximum number of entity occurrences in an
entity. For example, the relationship decribed by “a professor teaches one or more classes”
means that the PROFESSOR entity is referenced at least once and no more than four times in the
CLASS entity.
 constraints

Because the business rules form the basis of the data modeling process, their precise statement is crucial
to the success of the database design. And, because the business rules are derived from a precise
description of operations, much of the design's success depends on the accuracy of the description of
operations.

Examples of business rules are:

 An invoice contains one or more invoice lines. Each invoice line is associated with a single
invoice.
 A store employs many employees. Each employee is employed by only one store.
 A college has many departments. Each department belongs to a single college. (This business
rule reflects a university that has multiple colleges such as Business, Liberal Arts, Education,
Engineering, etc.)
 A driver may be assigned to drive many different vehicles. Each vehicle can be driven by many
drivers. (Note: Keep in mind that this business rule reflects the assignment of drivers during
some period of time.)
 A client may sign many contracts. Each contract is signed by only one client.
 A sales representative may write many contracts. Each contract is written by one sales
representative.

Note that each relationship definition requires the definition of two business rules. For example, the
relationship between the INVOICE and (invoice) LINE entities is defined by the first two business rules

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in the bulleted list. This two-way requirement exists because there is always a two-way relationship
between any two related entities. (This two-way relationship description also reflects the implementation
by many of the available database design tools.)

Keep in mind that the ER diagrams cannot always reflect all of the business rules. For example, examine
the following business rule:

A customer cannot be given a credit line over $10,000 unless that customer has maintained a
satisfactory credit history (as determined by the credit manager) during the past two years.

This business rule describes a constraint that cannot be shown in the ER diagram. The business rule
reflected in this constraint would be handled at the applications software level through the use of a
trigger or a stored procedure. (You will learn about triggers and stored procedures in Chapter 8,
“Advanced SQL.”)

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Review Questions

1. Discuss the importance of data modeling.

Data modeling plays a crucial role in simplifying complex real-world events into a
structured format, typically visual. It aids in understanding the intricacies of
systems or environments, which helps database designers communicate
effectively with developers and end users. A well-designed data model can
minimize misunderstandings between the database's intended structure and its
real-world counterpart, reducing the risk of errors during database design.

2. What is the purpose of a business rule in data modeling?

A business rule is a concise statement that defines a policy, procedure, or practice

within an organization. It serves as a guide for actions and decisions within a
specific business environment. These rules are vital for database design because
they ensure that the model reflects the organization’s operations accurately.
Business rules are derived from a detailed description of operations, which
includes the organization’s goals, processes, and environment. If these
descriptions are inaccurate, the business rules—and, in turn, the data model—will
not properly represent the business’s needs.

3. How do you translate business rules into data model components?

When translating business rules into data model elements, nouns

typically represent entities, while verbs indicate relationships between
these entities. For example, the rule “A customer can place many orders”
contains the entities “customer” and “order,” and the verb “place”
signifies a relationship between them. This would translate to a
relationship where a customer can have multiple orders.

4. Using Figure P2.4 as your guide, work Problems a–b. The DealCo relational diagram shows
the initial entities and attributes for the DealCo stores, located in two regions of the country.

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Figure P2.4 The DealCo relational diagram

a. Identify each relationship type and write all of the business rules.

: Region to Store: One region can host multiple stores, but each store is
located in one region. This represents a 1:M (one-to-many) relationship.

: Store to Employee: A store employs several employees, and each employee

works for one store. The relationship between store and employee is 1:M.

: Job to Employee: A job title, such as "Sales Representative," can be

assigned to many employees, but each employee holds only one job. The
relationship between job and employee is 1:M

b. Create the basic Crow’s Foot ERD and Chen ERD for DealCo.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12kBsxLlzORuAPHwrQ7B2o9wFVUDpLvs2/view?
usp=sharing

:THE CROW’S FOOT ERD

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5. Using Figure P2.6 as your guide, work Problems a−b The Tiny College relational diagram
shows the initial entities and attributes for Tiny College.

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Figure P2.6 The Tiny College relational diagram

a. Identify each relationship type and write all of the business rules.

b. Create the basic Crow’s Foot ERD and Chen ERD for Tiny College.

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