Normalization

 Main objective in developing a logical data

model for relational database systems is to
create an accurate representation of the data,
its relationships, and constraints.

 To achieve this objective, must identify a

suitable set of relations.

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Normalization
 Four most commonly used normal forms are first
(1NF), second (2NF) and third (3NF) normal
forms, and Boyce–Codd normal form (BCNF).

 Based on functional dependencies among the

attributes of a relation.

 A relation can be normalized to a specific form to

prevent possible occurrence of update anomalies.

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Data Redundancy
 Major aim of relational database design is to
group attributes into relations to minimize
data redundancy and reduce file storage space
required by base relations.

 Problems associated with data redundancy are

illustrated by comparing the following Staff
and Branch relations with the StaffBranch
relation.

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Data Redundancy

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Data Redundancy
 StaffBranch relation has redundant data: details
of a branch are repeated for every member of
staff.

 In contrast, branch information appears only

once for each branch in Branch relation and only
branchNo is repeated in Staff relation, to
represent where each member of staff works.

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Update Anomalies
 Relations that contain redundant information
may potentially suffer from update anomalies.

 Types of update anomalies include:

– Insertion,
– Deletion,
– Modification.

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Lossless-join and Dependency Preservation
Properties
 Two important properties of decomposition:
- Lossless-join property enables us to find any
instance of original relation from
corresponding instances in the smaller
relations.
- Dependency preservation property enables us
to enforce a constraint on original relation by
enforcing some constraint on each of the
smaller relations.

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Functional Dependency
 Main concept associated with normalization.

 Functional Dependency
– Describes relationship between attributes in
a relation.
– If A and B are attributes of relation R, B is
functionally dependent on A (denoted A 
B), if each value of A in R is associated with
exactly one value of B in R.

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Functional Dependency
 Property of the meaning (or semantics)
of the attributes in a relation.

 Diagrammatic representation:

 Determinant of a functional dependency refers

to attribute or group of attributes on left-hand
side of the arrow.
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Example - Functional Dependency

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Functional Dependency
 Main characteristics of functional dependencies
used in normalization:

– have a 1:1 relationship between attribute(s)

on left and right-hand side of a dependency;
– hold for all time;
– are nontrivial.

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Functional Dependency
 Complete set of functional dependencies for a given
relation can be very large.

 Important to find an approach that can reduce set

to a manageable size.

 Need to identify set of functional dependencies (X)

for a relation that is smaller than complete set of
functional dependencies (Y) for that relation and
has property that every functional dependency in Y
is implied by functional dependencies in X.

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Functional Dependency
 Set of all functional dependencies implied by a
given set of functional dependencies X called
closure of X (written X+).

 Set of inference rules, called Armstrong’s

axioms, specifies how new functional
dependencies can be inferred from given ones.

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Functional Dependency
 Let A, B, and C be subsets of the attributes of
relation R. Armstrong’s axioms are as follows:
 1. Reflexivity
If B is a subset of A, then A B
2. Augmentation
If A B, then A,C C
3. Transitivity
If A B and B C, then A C

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The Process of Normalization
 Formal technique for analyzing a relation based on
its primary key and functional dependencies
between its attributes.

 Often executed as a series of steps. Each step

corresponds to a specific normal form, which has
known properties.

 As normalization proceeds, relations become

progressively more restricted (stronger) in format
and also less vulnerable to update anomalies.

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Relationship Between Normal Forms

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Unnormalized Form (UNF)
 A table that contains one or more repeating
groups.

 To create an unnormalized table:

– transform data from information source
(e.g. form) into table format with columns
and rows.

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First Normal Form (1NF)
 A relation in which intersection of each row
and column contains one and only one value.

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UNF to 1NF
 Nominate an attribute or group of attributes to
act as the key for the unnormalized table.

 Identify repeating group(s) in unnormalized

table which repeats for the key attribute(s).

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UNF to 1NF
 Remove repeating group by:
– entering appropriate data into the empty
columns of rows containing repeating data
(‘flattening’ the table).
Or by
– placing repeating data along with copy of
the original key attribute(s) into a separate
relation.

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Second Normal Form (2NF)
 Based on concept of full functional dependency:
– A and B are attributes of a relation,
– B is fully dependent on A if B is functionally
dependent on A but not on any proper subset of
A.

 2NF - A relation that is in 1NF and every non-

primary-key attribute is fully functionally
dependent on the primary key.

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1NF to 2NF
 Identify primary key for the 1NF relation.

 Identify functional dependencies in the

relation.

 If partial dependencies exist on the primary

key remove them by placing them in a new
relation along with copy of their determinant.

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Third Normal Form (3NF)
 Based on concept of transitive dependency:
– A, B and C are attributes of a relation such that if
A  B and B  C,
– then C is transitively dependent on A through B.
(Provided that A is not functionally dependent on
B or C).

 3NF - A relation that is in 1NF and 2NF and in

which no non-primary-key attribute is transitively
dependent on the primary key.

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2NF to 3NF
 Identify the primary key in the 2NF relation.

 Identify functional dependencies in the relation.

 If transitive dependencies exist on the primary

key remove them by placing them in a new
relation along with copy of their determinant.

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General Definitions of 2NF and 3NF
 Second normal form (2NF)
– A relation that is in 1NF and every non-
primary-key attribute is fully functionally
dependent on any candidate key.

 Third normal form (3NF)

– A relation that is in 1NF and 2NF and in
which no non-primary-key attribute is
transitively dependent on any candidate key.

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Boyce–Codd Normal Form (BCNF)
 Based on functional dependencies that take
into account all candidate keys in a relation,
however BCNF also has additional constraints
compared with general definition of 3NF.

 BCNF - A relation is in BCNF if and only if

every determinant is a candidate key.

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Boyce–Codd normal form (BCNF)
 Difference between 3NF and BCNF is that for a
functional dependency A  B, 3NF allows this
dependency in a relation if B is a primary-key
attribute and A is not a candidate key.

 Whereas, BCNF insists that for this dependency to

remain in a relation, A must be a candidate key.

 Every relation in BCNF is also in 3NF. However,

relation in 3NF may not be in BCNF.

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Boyce–Codd normal form (BCNF)
 Violation of BCNF is quite rare.

 Potential to violate BCNF may occur in a

relation that:
– contains two (or more) composite candidate
keys;
– the candidate keys overlap (i.e. have at least
one attribute in common).

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Review of Normalization (UNF to BCNF)

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Review of Normalization (UNF to BCNF)

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Review of Normalization (UNF to BCNF)

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Review of Normalization (UNF to BCNF)

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Fourth Normal Form (4NF)
 Although BCNF removes anomalies due to
functional dependencies, another type of
dependency called a multi-valued dependency
(MVD) can also cause data redundancy.

 Possible existence of MVDs in a relation is due

to 1NF and can result in data redundancy.

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Fourth Normal Form (4NF) - MVD
 Dependency between attributes (for example,
A, B, and C) in a relation, such that for each
value of A there is a set of values for B and a
set of values for C. However, set of values for B
and C are independent of each other.

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Fourth Normal Form (4NF)
 MVD between attributes A, B, and C in a
relation using the following notation:
A  B
A  C

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 Department d1 works on jobs j1, and j2 with parts p1 and p2
 Department d2 works on jobs j3, j4, and j5 with parts p2 and p4
 Department d3 works on job j2 only with parts p5 and p6.

Department Job Part#

-------------------------------------------------
d1 j1 p1
d1 j1 p2 Department  Job
d1 j2 p1
d1 j2 p2
d2 j3 p2 Department  Part
d2 j3 p4
d2 j4 p2
d2 j4 p4
d2 j5 p2
d2 j5 p4
d3 j2 p5
d3 j2 p6
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Fourth Normal Form (4NF)
 MVD can be further defined as being trivial or
nontrivial.
– MVD A  B in relation R is defined as
being trivial if (a) B is a subset of A or (b) A  B
= R.
– MVD is defined as being nontrivial if neither (a)
nor (b) are satisfied.
– Trivial MVD does not specify a constraint on a
relation, while a nontrivial MVD does specify a
constraint.

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Fourth Normal Form (4NF)
 Defined as a relation that is in BCNF and
contains no nontrivial MVDs.

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4NF - Example

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Fifth Normal Form (5NF)
 A relation decomposed into two relations must
have lossless-join property, which ensures that no
spurious tuples are generated when relations are
reunited through a natural join.

 However, there are requirements to decompose a

relation into more than two relations.

 Although rare, these cases are managed by join

dependency and fifth normal form (5NF).

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Fifth Normal Form (5NF)
 A relation that has no join dependency.

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5NF - Example

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 DKNF offers a complete solution to the problem
of avoiding modification abnormalities
 Domain/key normal form (DKNF). A key
uniquely identifies each row in a table.
 By enforcing key and domain restrictions, the
database is assured of being freed from any
modification inconsistency.

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 Ronald Fagin (1981) proved that if a Relation is
in DKNF then it is free from any
anomalies(redundancies). Including the ones
caused by FDs, MVDs, JDs.

 DKNF seems simple enough then why all

hoopla the about 1NF, 2NF, 3NF, BCNF, 4NF,
5NF

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DKNF not always achievable, and there is no
formal definition to verify if a relation schema is
in DKNF

In short, sets of single-theme tables will most

likely be in DKNF.

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