3/5/2020 GATE Questions-DBMS-Functional Dependency

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GATE Questions-DBMS-
Functional Dependency
Labels: GATE , GATE questions on DBMS

Previous GATE questions with solutions on DBMS (Functional Dependency) -

CS/IT

GATE-1999

1. Let R= (A, B, C, D, E, F) be a relation scheme with the following dependencies: C->F, E->A, EC->D,

A->B. Which of the following is a key for R?

(a) CD             (b) EC           (c) AE            (d) AC

Ans: option (b)

Explanation:

Find the closure set of all the options given. If any closure covers all the attributes of the relation

R then that is the key.

Algorithm to nd Closure Set

Step1: Equate an attribute or attributes to X for which closure needs to be identi ed.
Step2: Take each FD (functional dependency) one by one and check whether the left side of FD is

available in X, if yes then add the right side attributes to X if it is not available.

Step3: Repeat step 2 as many times as possible to cover all FD's.

Step4: After no more attributes can be added to X declare it as the closure set.

FDs: C->F, E->A, EC->D, A->B

Find closure set for CD.

X = CD

   = CDF {C->F}
No more attributes can be added to X. Hence closure set of CD = CDF

Find closure set for EC.

X = EC

   = ECF {C->F}

   = ECFA {E->A}

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   = ECFAD {EC->D}

   = ECFADB {A->B}

Closure set of EC covers all the attributes of the relation R.

GATE-2000

2. Given the following relation instance.

-------

X Y Z

-------

1 4 2

1 5 3

1 6 3

3 2 2

-------

Which of the following functional dependencies are satis ed by the instance?

(a) XY -> Z and Z -> Y

(b) YZ -> X and Y -> Z

(c) YZ -> X and X -> Z

(d) XZ -> Y and Y -> X

Ans: option (b)

Explanation:
Association among attributes is known as Functional Dependencies (FD). A FD X->Y require that

the value of X uniquely determines the value of Y where X and Y are set of attributes.
For example,

Roll_No -> Name: the value of Roll_No uniquely determines the Name. 

Roll_No, Book_No -> Issue_Date : In the case of library, Roll_No and Book_No can determine the

Issue_Date of a book.

In option (a), its given Z->Y, it means that the value of Z uniquely determines the value of Y. But
here the value 2 of Z, gives two di erent values of Y i.e. 4 and 2. Therefore this FD is not satis ed

by the instance.
In option (c), its given X->Z, it means that the value of X uniquely determines the value of Z. But

here the value 1 of X, gives two di erent values of Z i.e. 2 and 3. Therefore this FD is not satis ed
by the instance.

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n option (d), its given Y->X, here the value of Y uniquely determines the value of X. Therefore this

FD is satis ed by the instance. Now take FD XZ->Y, here (1,3) cannot uniquely determine the value
of Y. (1,3) gives two values for Y i.e. 5 and 6.  Therefore this FD (XZ->Y)  is not satis ed by the

instance.

GATE-2002
3. From the following instance of a relational schema R(A, B, C), we can conclude that:

----------

A B C

----------

1 1 1

1 1 0

2 3 2

2 3 2

----------

(a) A functionally determines B and B functionally determines C

(b) A functionally determines B and B does not functionally determine C

(c) B does not functionally determine C

(d) A does not functionally determine B and B does not functionally determine C

Ans: option (c)

Explanation: 

Looking into an instance we can't conclude that A functionally determines B. A->B could hold true
to the given instance but not on the entire database. But we can be sure that B does not
functionally determine C because for the value 1 of  B, it gives two di erent values of C i.e. 1 & 0.
Issue in option (d) - Again from the provided instance we cannot say that A does not determine B.

A->B may or may not hold. Therefore only possible option is (c).

GATE-2005
4. Consider a relation scheme R = (A, B, C, D, E, H) on which the following functional dependencies

hold: {A–>B, BC–>D, E–>C, D–>A}. What are the candidate keys of R?

(a) AE, BE
(b) AE, BE, DE
(c) AEH, BEH, BCH
(d) AEH, BEH, DEH

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Ans: option (d)

Explanation:
If you focus on the right side of the functional dependencies you can see that E & H cannot be
derived using the left side of functional dependencies. Hence E & H will de nitely be part of the
candidate key.  Therefore only option (d) satis es such condition.

If any closure includes all attributes of a table then it becomes the candidate key. Find closure (As
explained in question 1) of AEH as below.
Closure of AEH = AEHB {A->B}

= AEHBC {E->C}

= AEHBCD {BC->D}

GATE-2005(IT)
5. In a schema with attributes A, B, C, D and E, following set of functional dependencies are given:
A->B

A->C

CD->E

B->D

E->A

Which of the following functional dependencies is NOT implied by the above set?

(a) CD->AC            (b) BD->CD         (c) BC->CD          (d) AC->BC

Ans: option (b)

Explanation:

For every options given, nd the closure set of left side of each FD. If the closure set of left side
contains the right side of the FD, then the particular FD is implied by the given set. 
Option (a): Closure set of CD = CDEAB. Therefore CD->AC can be derived from the given set of
FDs.

Option (c): Closure set of BC = BCDEA. Therefore BC->CD can be derived from the given set of
FDs.
Option (d): Closure set of AC = ACBDE. Therefore AC->BC can be derived from the given set of
FDs.

Option (b): Closure set of BD = BD. Therefore BD->CD cannot be derived from the given set of
FDs.

GATE-2006

6. The following functional dependencies are given:

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AB->CD, AF->D, DE->F, C->G , F->E, G->A

Which one of the following options is false?

(a)CF+ = {ACDEFG}                             (b)BG+ = {ABCDG}
(c)AF+ = {ACDEFG}                             (d)AB+ = {ABCDFG}

Ans: option(c)
Explanation:
AF+ = {AFDE}

As explained in question 1, nd the closure set of each options.

Option (d) is also false. AB+ = {ABCDG}.

GATE-2013
Linked question ( 7 & 8 )

Relation R has eight attributes ABCDEFGH. Fields of R contain only atomic values. 

F={CH->G, A->BC, B->CFH, E->A, F->EG} is a set of functional dependencies (FDs) so that

F + is exactly the set of FDs that hold for R.

7. How many candidate keys does the relation R have?

(a) 3    (b) 4    (c) 5    (d) 6

Ans: option (b)

Explanation:

In a relational database, a key helps to uniquely identify each record within a table . A key is a
combination of one or more elds/attributes in a table. If a relational schema has multiple
keys,each key is a candidate key. One of the candidate keys is chosen  as the primary key.

To nd the candidate keys, we need to nd the closure of each attribute. (If x ia an attribute( eld),
set of attributes determined by x under a set F of functional dependencies is the closure of x
under F, denoted x+ ).

Thus,

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A+:ABCFHGE

B+: BCFHEGA

C+:C

D+:D

E+: EABCFHG

F+:FEGABCH
G+:G
H+ : H
A+,B+,E+,F+ contains all attributes except D. Thus there are 4 candidate keys DA,DB,DE and DF.

8. The relation R is
(a) in 1NF, but not in 2NF. 
(b) in 2NF, but not in 3NF. 

(c) in 3NF, but not in BCNF. 

(d) in BCNF.

Ans: option (a)

Explanation:
An attribute that does not occur in any candidate key is called a non-prime attribute.
(Reference :https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candidate_key)

Consider F->G; G is a non-prime attribute and F is a proper subset of a candidate key (refer the
above question). This is a case of partial dependency. Hence 2NF condition is violated. similarly
 A->C  and B->CFH also violates 2NF condition, hence R is not in 2NF. 

Since attributes of relation R has only atomic values, R is in 1NF.

GATE - 2015
9. Consider the relation X(P, Q, R, S, T, U) with the following set of functional dependencies

F={
      {P, R} → {S, T}

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      {P, S, U} → {Q, R}
  }
Which of the following is the trivial functional dependency in F+ is closure of F?
(a) {P, R} → {S, T}
(b) {P, R} → {R, T}
(c) {P, S} → {S}

(d) {P, S, U} → {Q}

Ans: option (c)

Explanation:
A functional dependency X → Y is trivial, if Y is a subset of X.
In the above question , {S}is a subset of {P,S}. Hence option (c) is the answer.

GATE - 2014

10. Consider the relation scheme R=(E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N) and the set of functional dependencies
{{E,F}→{G},{F}→{I,J},{E,H}→{K,L},{K}→{M},{L}→{N}}
on R. What is the key for R?
(a) {E,F}
(b) {E,F,H}
(c) {E,F,H,K,L}
(d) {E}

Ans: option (b)

Explanation:
Find closure set of all options. But as you can notice that H cannot be derived from any of the
above functional dependencies it means that H should be present in the key. Therefore we need
to check only the closure set of option b and option c which contains H.
Since EFH+ derives all the attributes in the relation R it is the candidate key. Note that option (c) is
the super key since adding zero or more attributes to candidate key generates super key.

25 comments:

Unknown January 22, 2013 at 10:59 AM

Hi,
For Q.No :3 - How option b got eliminated ?
For A It gives value 1 and 3 for the values 1 and 2 respectively . So It also
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determines B uniquely .so A functionally determines B also should be right

.Please Correct me if am wrong .

Reply

Replies

Vinod January 22, 2013 at 3:08 PM

It was a typing mistake Malini. As u said correct option is (b).

Thank you for your note. Correction has been made.

Unknown March 4, 2020 at 4:29 PM

B and c both are correct

Reply

Unknown January 22, 2013 at 12:48 PM

hi,
For the 6th question I think AB closure will have only {ABCDG }.Please correct me
if am wrong

Reply

Replies

Vinod January 22, 2013 at 2:58 PM

Yes, option (d) is also false. AB closure = {ABCDG}. Thanks for

this note... :)

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bluefrog February 5, 2014 at 5:01 PM

so , AF+ = adef ??

Reply

Anonymous June 9, 2013 at 7:05 PM

in ques how C option is wrong?

Reply

Replies

Vinod June 10, 2013 at 6:45 AM

Can you plz provide the question number..

Reply

Anonymous September 18, 2013 at 3:19 PM

Good work ....

Reply

Anonymous February 4, 2015 at 7:35 PM

very helpful

Reply

Anonymous May 27, 2015 at 1:08 AM

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helpful material
thanku

Reply

Unknown October 12, 2015 at 11:47 AM

very helpful...thank you

Reply

Unknown October 12, 2015 at 5:09 PM

for question 3 c) shud be answer, we cant tell what is determining what until we
know entire schema, we can only tell negative,, this is a negative test

Reply

Anonymous February 2, 2016 at 8:47 PM

Excellent explanations

Reply

Jayant Solanki August 31, 2016 at 4:50 PM

Fantastically fabulous....keep it uppppppp...

Reply

Jayant Solanki September 21, 2016 at 4:37 PM

Superb explanation...simple and step by step...nice work...

Reply

Anonymous September 15, 2017 at 1:14 PM

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very very helpfull...great work

Reply

Anonymous September 15, 2017 at 1:15 PM

faboulous explaination step by step ..very nice

Reply

Nagasri October 6, 2017 at 6:46 AM

for question number 3 correct answer is "option C".

Reply

Anonymous November 1, 2017 at 2:11 PM

Que3. I think correct option is C.

Looking into an instance of Relation we can't say A determines B.
We can be sure of what is not functionally determined by other.But we can't say
about what
is determined by other. We don't know complete DB.and By the way FDs are
made prior to
Relations.

Reply

Anonymous April 10, 2018 at 3:58 PM

Could anyone more explain Ques no. 8. I didn't get why option (a) is right.

Reply

Replies

Anonymous April 18, 2018 at 7:01 PM

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Consider F->G; G is a non-prime attribute and F is a proper

subset of a candidate key. This is a case of partial dependency.
Hence 2NF condition is violated.

Similarly A->C and B->CFH also violates 2NF condition, hence R

is not in 2NF.
Since it is given that attributes of relation R has only atomic
values, R is in 1NF.

Reply

Unknown March 27, 2019 at 12:34 PM

relation r=( a b c d e g) having functional dependencies F=(a->b, bg->e,c->d,d->g)

nd the candidate key
what is the answer of this question and give explanation for same

Reply

Replies

Ajay Sharma May 3, 2019 at 2:16 AM

I think answer should be "ac" because clouser of (ac)+ =

{abcdeg}
Explaination:
ac -> ac
ac -> acb(by a)
ac -> abcd(by c)
ac -> abcdg(by d)
ac -> abcdge(by bg)

Reply

Unknown November 26, 2019 at 1:26 AM

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Helpful

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