PANIMALAR ENGINEERING COLLEGE

(An Autonomous Institution, Affiliated to Anna University Chennai)

QUESTION BANK
Details of the Course
:COMPUTER SCIENCE AND BUSINESS
Name of the Department
SYSTEMS
Name of the Course :DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Course Code :23CB1401
Semester :IV
Common To Programme(s) :
Instructions
Blooms Level:Blooms Level 1 & 2 is Lower Order (LO) Cognitive type, Blooms Level 3 & 4 is Intermediate Order
Cognitive Type (IO) and Blooms Level 5 & 6 is Higher Order (HO) cognitive type.

2 Marks:For each unit five questions should be of lower order (LO) cognitive type and five Questions should be of
Intermediate order (IO) cognitive type.

13 /15 /16 Marks:For each Unit four questions should be of lower order (LO) cognitive type i.e. remembrance type
questions, five should be of intermediate order (IO) cognitive type i.e. understanding type questions and One Question
should be on Higher Order (HO)Application / Design / Analysis / Evaluation / Creativity / Case study questions.
* HO Order is not applicable if the Question Pattern does not have Part C. In Such cases consider HO as IO.
** If the Mark for Part B &C is less than the maximum mark of the Question, Sub Divisions shall be added.
Course Outcome: (List the Course Outcomes of the Course)
CO1: Understand the basic concepts of database systems.
CO2: Apply SQL and MySQL Queries using open source and commercial database and relational database design.
CO3: Apply the query processing techniques for the optimization. .
CO4:Utilize various indexing and hashing techniques of database and security mechanisms for authentication

and recovery.
CO5: Understand the basic issues of transaction processing and concurrency control. CO6 Interpret various

advanced database to compare with traditional databases.

Bloom’s Level: BL1 - Remembering, BL2 - Understanding, BL3 - Applying, BL4 - Analyzing, BL5– Evaluating,BL6 - Creating.

Diagrams, Table Values, Equations must be legible and clear.

UNIT- I - DATABASE FUNDAMENTALS

Course Marks
PART A ( 2 Marks) Bloom’s Level Outcom Allotte
e d
1. Define a hierarchical database model. [BL1] [CO1] [2]

2. Outline the concept of data independence in a database management [BL2] [CO1] [2]
system.
3. Describe the purpose of data abstraction in database systems. [BL2] [CO1] [2]

Course Instructor Course Coordinator Head of the Department

Name & Designation Name & Designation
 4. [BL3] [CO1] [2]
Given an example, determine if a database model is hierarchical or
network. Justify your answer.

5. Apply the following requirement into a DDL and DML operation: [BL3] [CO2] [2]
Create a table for storing student information and insert one record into
it.
6. [BL2] [CO2] [2]
Explain the purpose of integrity constraints in a relational database.

7. Given an ER diagram with entities Student and Course, draw a [BL3] [CO2] [2]
possible relationship between them and explain how it can be
implemented in a relational database.
8. Differentiate between the relational model and the object-oriented [BL2] [CO2] [2]
model in terms of structure and usage.
9. Design a simple relational schema for a library database, including at [BL3] [CO2] [2]
least two tables with primary and foreign keys.
10. Using an object-oriented data model, illustrate how a class Car can [BL3] [CO1] [2]
have attributes like make, model, and year, and demonstrate how
inheritance could be used for subclasses like ElectricCar and
HybridCar.
PART B ( 13 /15/16 Marks)
1. Design a hierarchical database structure for an organization with [BL3] [CO1] [13]
departments, employees, and projects. Explain how you would
represent the relationships and retrieve data from this structure.
2. Explain the differences between hierarchical and network database BL2 [CO1] [13]
models with the help of examples.
3. Create a relational schema for a university database containing tables BL3 [CO1] [13]
for Students, Courses, and Enrollments. Define the primary and
foreign keys and explain how queries can be used to retrieve data
about a student’s courses.
4. Describe the concept of data abstraction and its three levels in database BL2 [CO1] [13]
system architecture. Provide examples for each level.
5. Using the DDL and DML commands to create a table for storing book BL3 [CO2] [13]
details (BookID, Title, Author, and Price), insert two records, and
retrieve all books priced above $50.
6. Analyze how integrity constraints (e.g., primary key, foreign key, and BL4 [CO2] [13]
check constraints) ensure data consistency and accuracy in a relational
database. Provide examples where lack of such constraints could lead
to data anomalies.
7. Explain the key components of the Entity-Relationship (ER) model BL2 [CO2] [13]
with suitable examples.
8. Design an ER diagram for a hospital database system that manages BL3 [CO2] [13]
patients, doctors, and appointments. Show how the ER model can be
converted into a relational schema, ensuring the use of primary and
foreign keys.
9. Discuss the differences between the relational data model and the BL2 [CO1] [13]
network data model. Include examples to illustrate how data is
organized and accessed in each model.
10. Develop a database schema using an object-oriented data model for an BL6 [CO3] [15]
online e-commerce system. Include at least three classes (e.g., Product,

Course Instructor Course Coordinator Head of the Department

Name & Designation Name & Designation
 Customer, Order), define attributes, methods, and relationships, and
explain how this design supports scalability and data reuse.

UNIT- II - RELATIONAL DATABASE

Course Marks
PART A ( 2 Marks) Bloom’s Level
Outcome Allotted

1. What is relational algebra? Name any two operations in relational [BL1] [CO1] [2]
algebra.
2. Define tuple relational calculus. [BL1] [CO2] [2]

3. What is SQL3? Mention one key feature that differentiates it from [BL1] [CO3] [2]
earlier versions of SQL.
4. Explain the difference between DDL and DML with examples of their [BL2] [CO2] [2]
operations.
5. Describe the concept of domain relational calculus and how it differs [BL2] [CO2] [2]
from tuple relational calculus.
6. Write a SQL query to create a table Employees in MySQL with fields [BL3] [CO3] [2]
EmpID, Name, Designation, and Salary. Insert three records into this
table and display all employees earning more than $5000.
7. Analyze the differences between open-source DBMS (e.g., MySQL) [BL4] [CO2] [2]
and commercial DBMS (e.g., Oracle, DB2). Consider aspects like
licensing, scalability, features, and cost in your analysis. Provide
examples of scenarios where each type would be most suitable.
8. Identify the process of database backup and recovery in MySQL and [BL3] [CO3] [2]
Oracle. Illustrate with an example of how you would back up and
restore a database in each.
9. Compare the data scalability features of MySQL and Oracle. Which [BL4] [CO2] [2]
would you recommend for a high-traffic e-commerce platform, and
why?
10. Analyze the licensing models of open-source DBMS like MySQL and [BL4] [CO3] [2]
commercial DBMS like Oracle. How do these affect the total cost of
ownership for an organization.
PART B ( 13 /15/16 Marks)
1. Define relational algebra and describe its fundamental operations with [BL1] [CO1] [13]
examples.
2. Explain the differences between tuple relational calculus and domain [BL2] [CO2] [13]
relational calculus with suitable examples.
3. Describe the role of DDL and DML in database management. Provide [BL2] [CO3] [13]
examples of at least three DDL commands and three DML commands.
4. Discuss the advancements in SQL3 over earlier versions of SQL, [BL2] [CO3] [13]
highlighting its key features and capabilities. Provide examples to
illustrate your points.
5. Using relational algebra, construct queries for the following scenarios [BL3] [CO3] [13]
in a database containing tables Students (StudentID, Name, Age) and
Courses (CourseID, CourseName, StudentID):
a. Retrieve the names of students enrolled in a specific course.
b. Find the list of all students who are above 20 years old.
c. Display all courses along with the names of students enrolled in
them.

Course Instructor Course Coordinator Head of the Department

Name & Designation Name & Designation
 6. Analyze the performance and scalability differences between MySQL [BL4] [CO2] [13]
and Oracle. Include specific scenarios, such as handling large-scale e-
commerce applications or real-time analytics, to justify your analysis.
7. Analyze the security features of DB2 and SQL Server. Compare their [BL4] [CO3] [13]
encryption mechanisms, authentication methods, and role-based access
controls, and analyze their suitability for managing sensitive enterprise
data.
8. Compare the total cost of ownership (TCO) of an open-source DBMS [BL4] [CO3] [13]
like MySQL with a commercial DBMS like Oracle. Analyze how
licensing, maintenance, and support impact the choice for small versus
large organizations.
9. Design a migration plan for moving a database from MySQL to SQL [BL3] [CO2] [13]
Server. Include steps for schema conversion, data transfer, and
ensuring application compatibility. Provide an example scenario to
illustrate your solution.
10. Develop a hybrid database architecture combining MySQL for cost- [BL6] [CO4] [15]
effective data storage and Oracle for high-performance analytics.
Justify the design choices, including data partitioning, integration
strategy, and use cases where this hybrid model would be effective.

Course Instructor Course Coordinator Head of the Department

Name & Designation Name & Designation
 UNIT- III - RELATIONAL DATABASE DESIGN, QUERY PROCESSING AND STORAGE
Course Marks
PART A ( 2 Marks) Bloom’s Level
Outcome Allotted

1. What is a functional dependency in a relational database? Provide an [BL1] [CO1] [2]

example.
2. State Armstrong's Axioms in the context of functional dependencies. [BL1] [CO3] [2]

3. Explain the concept of lossless design in database normalization. Why [BL2] [CO3] [2]
is it important?
4. [BL2] [CO2] [2]
Differentiate between the first normal form (1NF) and second normal
form (2NF) with examples.
5. What is a B-tree in database indexing? [BL1] [CO3] [2]

6. Choose the relational algebra expression to retrieve names of students [BL3] [CO4] [2]
enrolled in a specific course from a database with Students(StudentID,
Name) and Enrollments(StudentID, CourseID).
7. Analyze the performance of hash-based join and sort-merge join [BL4] [CO3] [2]
strategies. Under what conditions is each strategy more efficient?
Justify your answer with examples.
8. Select two equivalent relational algebra expressions, demonstrate how [BL3] [CO4] [2]
to simplify one into the other using algebraic rules.
9. Build an example showing how the nested-loop join strategy is applied [BL3] [CO2] [2]
to join two tables. Explain the step-by-step process.
10. Using a SQL query and its corresponding relational algebra expression [BL3] [CO3] [2]
to fetch employees earning more than $5000 from a table
Employees(EmpID, Name, Salary).
PART B ( 13 /15/16 Marks)
1. Define Armstrong's axioms and explain each axiom with an example. [BL1] [CO1] [13]
How are these axioms used to infer functional dependencies?
2. Explain the concept of functional dependency and its significance in [BL2] [CO2] [13]
relational database design. Provide examples of trivial and non-trivial
functional dependencies.
3. Describe the process of normalizing a relational schema to third [BL2] [CO3] [13]
normal form (3NF). Use a suitable example to show the steps involved
and the resulting schema.
4. Discuss the importance of dependency preservation and lossless [BL2] [CO4] [13]
decomposition in relational database design. Explain with examples
how these properties are ensured during schema design.
5. Given a relational schema with the following attributes and functional [BL3] [CO3] [13]
dependencies:
R(A, B, C, D) with FD = {A → B, B → C, A → D},
a. Decompose the schema into BCNF.
b. Verify if the decomposition is dependency-preserving and lossless.
6. Given a database schema with the following relations: [BL3] [CO3] [13]
Employees(EmpID, Name, DeptID) and Departments(DeptID,
DeptName),
a. Write the relational algebra expression to fetch employee names
along with their department names.
b. Convert the expression into an equivalent SQL query and explain
the steps to evaluate it using a join strategy.

Course Instructor Course Coordinator Head of the Department

Name & Designation Name & Designation
 7. Design a query plan to evaluate the following relational algebra [BL3] [CO4] [13]
expression:
σ(Salary > 5000) (Employees ⨝Departments)
a. Explain how each operation (selection and join) can be optimized
using different strategies.
b. Illustrate how indexes or hash-based techniques can improve query
performance.
8. Analyze the equivalence between the following relational algebra [BL4] [CO3] [13]
expressions:
a. σ(A > 10) (R ⨝S)
b. (σ(A > 10) R) ⨝S
Explain with examples how query equivalence impacts optimization
and execution costs.
9. Evaluate and compare the performance of the following join strategies: [BL4] [CO3] [13]
nested-loop join, sort-merge join, and hash join.
a. For each strategy, analyze their advantages, disadvantages, and
scenarios where they are most efficient.
b. Provide an example of a dataset where one strategy outperforms the
others.
10. Conclude a query optimization problem for the following SQL query: [BL5] CO6 [15]
SELECT Name FROM Employees WHERE Salary > 5000 AND
DeptID IN (SELECT DeptID FROM Departments WHERE DeptName
= 'HR');
a. Propose multiple execution plans for the query.
b. Evaluate the cost of each plan in terms of disk I/O, computation, and
time complexity.
c. Justify which plan is the most efficient and why.

UNIT- IV - TRANSACTION PROCESSING

Course Marks
PART A ( 2 Marks) Bloom’s Level
Outcome Allotted

1. What are the ACID properties of a transaction? List them. [BL1] [CO3] [2]

2. Explain the concept of serializability in scheduling transactions. Why [BL2] CO3 [2]
is it important for database consistency?
3. Describe the difference between locking-based and timestamp-based [BL2] CO3 [2]
concurrency control mechanisms.
4. Define concurrency control in the context of transaction processing. [BL1] CO3 [2]
Why is it needed?
5. Apply the role of isolation in the ACID properties, and how does it [BL2] CO4 [2]
ensure transaction correctness? Provide an example.
6. Given a scenario where two transactions are running concurrently in a [BL3] CO4 [2]
database using MVCC, how would you apply MVCC rules to determine
which version of a data item a read operation should access?
7. Construct the steps involved in optimistic concurrency control (OCC) [BL3] CO4 [2]
to manage concurrent transactions. Provide an example where it
prevents conflicts.
8. Using MVCC, explain how a database system ensures consistent data [BL3] CO4 [2]
views for read-only transactions. Provide a practical example.
9. Analyze the advantages and limitations of multi-version concurrency [BL4] CO4 [2]
control (MVCC) compared to optimistic concurrency control (OCC).

Course Instructor Course Coordinator Head of the Department

Name & Designation Name & Designation
 Provide examples of scenarios where each is more effective.
10. Build a recovery plan for a database system that includes checkpoints [BL3] CO4 [2]
and explain how it minimizes data loss during a failure.
PART B( 13 /15/16 Marks)
1. Define and explain the ACID properties in transaction processing. [BL1] [CO4] [13]
a. Describe each property with an example.
b. Explain why these properties are essential for maintaining database
consistency.
2. Describe the timestamp-based concurrency control method. BL2 CO4 [13]
a. Explain how it prevents conflicts between transactions.
b. Illustrate the concept with an example of two concurrent transactions.
3. What is serializability in transaction scheduling? BL1 CO4 [13]
a. Define the concept of serializability.
b. Explain the types of serializability (conflict and view) with examples.
4. Explain how a database ensures atomicity and consistency during BL2 CO4 [13]
transaction recovery.
a. Discuss the role of log-based recovery mechanisms.
b. Provide an example where a system failure requires recovery to
maintain consistency.
5. Show the locking mechanisms used in concurrency control. BL1 CO4 [13]
a. Define shared and exclusive locks.
b. Illustrate their use with an example involving multiple transactions.
6. Consider a scenario where multiple transactions are running BL3 CO4 [13]
concurrently. Using multi-version concurrency control (MVCC),
demonstrate how the system ensures that:
a. Read operations are not blocked by write operations.
b. Write operations do not overwrite uncommitted data.
Illustrate your answer with an example involving three transactions.
7. Analyze the steps involved in optimistic concurrency control (OCC) BL4 CO4 [13]
with its phases (read, validation, and write). Explain how OCC ensures
data consistency and resolves conflicts in a high-concurrency
environment.
8. Compare multi-version concurrency control (MVCC) and pessimistic BL4 CO4 [13]
locking mechanisms. Discuss the advantages, limitations, and scenarios
where each is preferable, with examples.
9. Classify the different recovery techniques used in databases, including BL4 CO4 [13]
immediate update, deferred update, and shadow paging. Analyze their
strengths, weaknesses, and use cases..
10. Explain a high-transaction environment, propose an optimal BL5 CO5 [15]
concurrency control strategy by evaluating multi-version concurrency
control (MVCC) and optimistic concurrency control (OCC). Justify
your choice based on performance, consistency, and recovery
requirements.

UNIT- V - DATABASE SECURITY AND ADVANCED DATABASE

Course Marks
PART A ( 2 Marks) Bloom’s Level
Outcome Allotted

1. What is authentication in the context of database security? Provide an [BL1] [CO5] [2]
example of an authentication mechanism.

Course Instructor Course Coordinator Head of the Department

Name & Designation Name & Designation
 2. Define Discretionary Access Control (DAC). How does it differ from BL1 CO5] [2]
Mandatory Access Control (MAC)?
3. Compare SQL injection to other database security threats. Why is SQL BL2 CO5] [2]
injection considered one of the most common vulnerabilities?
4. Summarize the role of intrusion detection systems in identifying and BL2 CO5] [2]
mitigating potential threats to database systems.
5. Describe how parameterized queries can prevent SQL injection BL2 CO5] [2]
attacks. Why is this method effective?
6. Write an example query in an object-relational database that uses a BL3 CO5] [2]
user-defined type (UDT). Explain its purpose briefly..
7. Analyze the advantages and challenges of integrating object-oriented BL4 CO5] [2]
features into relational databases. Provide examples of scenarios where
this integration is beneficial.
8. Using an example, illustrate how data replication improves the BL3 CO5] [2]
availability and reliability of a distributed database.
9. Solve a business intelligence problem using a star schema. How does BL3 CO5] [2]
the schema structure improve query performance and insight extraction?
10. Analyze how two-phase commit (2PC) handles the issue of network BL4 CO5] [2]
failures during distributed transactions. What are the trade-offs
involved in using this technique?
PART-B ( 13 /15/16 Marks)
1. Define Authentication, Authorization, and Access Control. Discuss how BL1 [CO5] [13]
each of these concepts is used to ensure the security of a system.
2. Explain the key differences between Discretionary Access Control BL1 [CO5] [13]
(DAC), Mandatory Access Control (MAC), and Role-Based Access
Control (RBAC). Provide examples of scenarios where each model
might be implemented.
3. Discuss the working principles of Discretionary Access Control (DAC) BL2 [CO5] [13]
and explain its advantages and disadvantages in a real-world system.
4. Explain the concept of Intrusion Detection and differentiate between BL2 [CO5] [13]
host-based and network-based intrusion detection systems (IDS).
Discuss their role in ensuring cybersecurity.
5. Describe SQL Injection attacks. How do these attacks exploit system BL2 [CO5] [13]
vulnerabilities, and what are the techniques to prevent them?.
6. Evaluate the challenges of implementing a web database for a high- BL4 [CO5] [13]
traffic website.
a. Analyze the role of caching, load balancing, and database clustering
in improving performance.
b. Provide examples of strategies to handle scaling issues..
7. Design an object-relational database schema for a university system that BL3 [CO5] [13]
includes entities such as Students, Courses, and Instructors.
a. Define custom data types and methods for the schema.
b. Write example queries that demonstrate how to retrieve data using
these features..
8. Develop a distributed database design for an e-commerce application. BL3 [CO5] [13]
a. Describe how data is partitioned and replicated across nodes.
b. Illustrate how a query, such as retrieving product details, is executed
in this environment.
9. Analyze the differences between star schema and snowflake schema in BL4 [CO5] [13]
a data warehouse.

Course Instructor Course Coordinator Head of the Department

Name & Designation Name & Designation
 a. Compare their structure and storage requirements.
b. Discuss their performance impacts on OLAP queries with examples.
10. Evaluate the design of a comprehensive solution for integrating data BL5 [CO6] [15]
mining techniques into a retail chain’s data warehousing system. How
would you ensure its effectiveness in improving operational efficiency
and customer satisfaction?.

Course Instructor Course Coordinator Head of the Department

Name & Designation Name & Designation