Database

Question 1

What is a database?

Answer 1

Organized data, typically in tables

Question 2

DBMS

Answer 2

Data base management system (paper, digital)

Question 3

What is a record?

Answer 3

All of the information about an entity (species, class, volume, height)

Question 4

What is a field?

Answer 4

A category of information arranged in a column (ID number, Name, Phone number, $ owed).

Question 5

What is the primary key?

Answer 5

A unique ID (student number)

Question 6

What is a table?

Answer 6

A set of info for each “subject” (contact info, academic record, accounts.)

Question 7

What are some advantages of a database?

Answer 7

• Data stored independently of software
• Simple structure
• Redundancy minimized (consistent data)
• Reduced data errors (error checks)
• Easy to update (maintain data)
• ready access to data (Variety of people, uses)
• data security (restricted rights to view/edit) Students only can manipulate U drive in VIU database.
• Basic analysis is simple

Question 8

What are some basic analysis methods

Answer 8

Sorting,
Searching,
Querying

Question 9

What are the generic field types?

Answer 9

Text / string (character based data) - No math
-may contain numbers not used in calculations (ID number)
Numbers
-Integers or Real numbers

Question 10

Differentiate between precision and scale

Answer 10

Precision is the number of digits. It is independent of decimals, can include “-“ and includes “0 placeholder if a fraction.”
Scale is the # of decimal places

Question 11

What is the scale and precision of the following numbers 
99
32000
0.0012
-123.15

Answer 11

99 - p2 s0
32000 p5 s0
0.0012 p5 s4
-123.15 p6 s2

Question 12

Can you change the database once you create it in ArcGis?

Answer 12

No, so go big

Question 13

What are the choices for integer in the number field?

Answer 13

short

long

Question 14

What are the choices for the real number (decimal) field?

Answer 14

float

double

Question 15

What field type for

Answer 15

• Stand label (FC 841) - Text
• Stand height (35.6) - Real number + float
• Site index (24) - Integer - short
• area - (12.3) - Real number - float
• area - (123,000) -Integer - long

Question 16

What are blobs?

Answer 16

Any file type attached

Question 17

What are the 2 choices for the numbers field type?

Answer 17

• Integer

- Real number (decimal)

Question 18

How do you determine what field data falls under

Answer 18

1. Can i do math with it? If no then it is text/string
2. Does it have a decimal? if no, Integer
3. Assume that the integer is “long” or the real number is “double”.

Question 19

How any parts to a query?

Answer 19

3
-field name - top of the table (ex. m3/ha)
-relational operator (=, less than, greater than.)
-value (ex. 400)
sumary ( m3/ha greater than 400 )

Question 20

What is a complex query?

Answer 20

more than 1 criteria

Question 21

How do you perform a complex query?

Answer 21

Using the word AND will specify that both criteria must be met
Using OR specifies that only one criteria must be met
Using NOT eliminates criteria

Question 22

What is a boolean operator?

Answer 22

words like AND, OR and NOT to refine search

Question 23

What things in GIS utilize database tables?

Answer 23

-attributes organized
-spatial data managed (can’t see it)
spatial data and attribute data are linked

Question 24

In table relation, differentiate between primary and secondary key.

Answer 24

• Primary key is the ID column that is in the destination table (IN GIS IT IS ALWAYS THE MAP TABLE)
• Secondary key is the outside source table being brought in.

Question 25

What ar the different relations?

Answer 25

• One to one
• Many to one
• One to many

Question 26

What does many to one mean?

Answer 26

Many records in the destination table relate to one record in the outside source table.
tables are joined

Question 27

Can you edit data in the outside source table?

Answer 27

No, because you are not in it.

Question 28

What does one to many mean?

Answer 28

One record in the data table relates to many

-Relates / Links table (Not joined)

Question 29

What is the different between join and a link?

Answer 29

A join can be performed with M:1 or 1:1 relations.

A link can be performed with a 1:M relation.