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6) The Entity Relationship (ER) Model

The document discusses the Entity Relationship (ER) model which forms the basis for Entity Relationship Diagrams (ERDs). ERDs depict the main components of a conceptual database: entities, attributes, and relationships. Entities are represented by rectangles containing the entity name. Attributes are represented by ovals connected to the entity with a line. Relationships associate entities and operate bidirectionally. The document also defines additional ER modeling concepts like domains, identifiers, composite/simple attributes, single/multivalued attributes, derived attributes, connectivity, cardinality, and weak entities.

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12 views2 pages

6) The Entity Relationship (ER) Model

The document discusses the Entity Relationship (ER) model which forms the basis for Entity Relationship Diagrams (ERDs). ERDs depict the main components of a conceptual database: entities, attributes, and relationships. Entities are represented by rectangles containing the entity name. Attributes are represented by ovals connected to the entity with a line. Relationships associate entities and operate bidirectionally. The document also defines additional ER modeling concepts like domains, identifiers, composite/simple attributes, single/multivalued attributes, derived attributes, connectivity, cardinality, and weak entities.

Uploaded by

nastaranesmaeilzadeh2
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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6) The Entity Relationship (ER) Model

• ER model forms the basis of an ER diagram

• ERD represents conceptual database as viewed by end user

• ERDs depict database’s main components:

– Entities

– Attributes

– Relationships

Entities

• Refers to entity set and not to single entity occurrence

• Corresponds to table and not to row in relational environment

• In both Chen and Crow’s Foot models, entity is represented by rectangle containing entity’s name

• Entity name, a noun, is usually written in capital letters

Attributes

• Characteristics of entities

• In Chen model, attributes are represented by ovals and are connected to entity rectangle with a line

• Each oval contains the name of attribute it represents

• In Crow’s Foot model, attributes are written in attribute box below entity rectangle

Domains

• Attributes have domain

– Domain is attribute’s set of possible values

• Attributes may share a domain

Identifiers (Primary Keys)

• Underlined in the ERD

Composite Primary Keys

• Primary keys ideally composed of only single attribute

• Possible to use a composite key

– Primary key composed of more than one attribute

Composite and Simple Attributes

• Composite attribute can be subdivided

• Simple attribute cannot be subdivided

Single-Valued Attributes
• Single-value attribute can have only a single value

Multivalued Attributes

• Multivalued attributes can have many values

Derived Attributes

• Attribute whose value may be calculated (derived) from other attributes

• Need not be physically stored within database

• Can be derived by using an algorithm

Relationships

• Association between entities

• Participants are entities that participate in a relationship

• Relationships between entities always operate in both directions

• Relationship can be classified as 1:M

• Relationship classification is difficult to establish if know only one side of the relationship

Connectivity and Cardinality

• Connectivity

– Used to describe the relationship classification

• Cardinality

– Expresses minimum and maximum number of entity occurrences associated with one occurrence
of related entity

• Established by very concise statements known as business rules

Weak Entities

• Weak entity meets two conditions

– Existence-dependent

• Cannot exist without entity with which it has a relationship

– Has primary key that is partially or totally derived from parent entity in relationship

• Database designer usually determines whether an entity can be described as weak based on business
rules

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