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IS ZC332 (EC-2 Regular) Page 1 of 2

Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani


Distance Learning Programmes Division
Second Semester 2008-2009

Comprehensive Examination
(EC-2 Regular)

Course No. : IS ZC332
Course Title : DATABASE SYSTEMS & APPLICATIONS
Nature of Exam : Open Book
Weightage : 60%
Duration : 3 Hours
Date of Exam : 04/04/2009 (AN)
Note:
1. Please follow all the Instructions to Candidates given on the cover page of the answer book.
2. All parts of a question should be answered consecutively. Each answer should start from a fresh page.
3. Mobile phones and computers of any kind should not be used inside the examination hall.
4. Use of any unfair means will result in severe disciplinary action.

Q.1 Fro the following specifications for an Expense Reporting Database, identify all
the ER-Constructs and specify possible relations.

Expense reporting database tracks expense report and expense report items along
with users, expense categories, status codes and limits on expense categories
pending.

For each user the database records the unique user number , the first name , the last
name , the phone no , the email address , the spending limit, the organizational
relationships among users, and the expense categories (atleast one ) available to
the user. The user can manage other users but have atmost one manager. For each
expense category available to a user , there is limit amount.

For each expense category, the database records the unique category number, the
category description, the spending limit and the users permitted to use the expense
category. Then an expense category is initially created, there may not be related
users.

For each status report the database records the unique status number, the status
description and the expense reports using the status code.
For each expense report the database records the unique expense report number,
the description, the submitted date, the status date, the status code (required), the
user number (required) and the related expense items.

For each expense item, the database records the unique item number, the
description, the expense date, the amount, the expense category(required), and the
expense report number (required). [8 + 6 = 14]


Q.2 (a). List two advantages and two disadvantages each of horizontal and vertical
partitioning. [4]

Q.2 (b). Suppose that your database system has failed. Describe the database recovery
process and the use of deffered-write and write-through techniques. [6]
No. of Pages = 2
No. of Questions = 6

IS ZC332 (EC-2 Regular) Page 2 of 2

IS ZC332 (EC-2 Regular) Second Semester 2008-2009 Page 2


Q.3 Consider the universal relation R = {A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I} and the set of
functional dependencies
F = { {A, B} -> {C}, {A} -> {D, E}, {B} -> {F}, {F} ->{G, H}, {D} -> {I, J} }.
What is the key for R? Decompose R into 2NF, then 3NF relations. [8]

Q.4 Which of the following schedules is (conflict) serializable? For each serializable
schedule, determine the equivalent serial schedules. [3 X 4 = 12]
4.1. R1(X);R3(X);W(X);R2(X);W3(X);
4.2. R1(X);R3(X);W3(X);W1(X);R2(X);
4.3. R3(X);R2(X);W3(X);R1(X);W1(X);
4.4. R3(X);R2(X);R1(X);W3(X);W1(X);

Q.5 Consider the relation EMP(eno, ename, deptno, salary), where ename & salary are
allowed to take null values but deptno can not take null values. A view TOPEMP
is created as

Create view TOPEMP as Select(eno, ename, salary) from EMP where salary >=
20000. Mention TRUE or FALSE about the following statements. Justify. No
marks will be awarded without proper justification. [8]

5.1. Insert into TOPEMP values(e10, xyz, 10000) will insert the tuple in
EMP only.
5.2. Insert into TOPEMP (eno, salary) values(e11, 20000) will insert the tuple
in both EMP and TOPEMP.
5.3. Insert into TOPEMP (eno, deptno, salary) values(e12, 30, 40000) will
not even get inserted in TOPEMP.
5.4. Insert into EMP (eno, deptno, salary) values(e13, 20, 20000) will insert
the tuple in both EMP and TOPEMP.

Q.6 Consider the following schema:
Sailors ( sid, sname, rating, age)
Boats ( bid, bname, color)
Reserves ( sid, bid, date)

Explain the sequence of steps (and also write the corresponding SQL statements
with appropriate options) that you need to follow to handle the following
situations and have the database in a consistent state:

6.1. The sid of a sailor gets changed and he has reserved some boats.
6.2. A boat with bid 500 develops some technical problem and is temporarily
replaced by a new boat with bid 600.
[4 + 4 = 8]
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