By Osvaldo, Hector, and Frank

Database Basics

What Is a Database? What do the following things have in

common: an address book, a telephone directory, a list of family birthdays, and a catalog of DVDs? For one thing, each can be stored in a database, or an organized collection of information. Databases can exist on paper or on a computer. Computerized databases can be huge, containing information on millions of items. A computerized database is an ideal tool for making use of huge amounts of existing data.

Databases :make it easy to store, add, organize, and retrieve information. Suppose a worker has to find the account number for a customer. Imagine how much time that worker saves if he or she can find the information simply by typing the customer’s name instead of searching through piles of paper!

Vocabulary Preview:

Vocabulary

database Table record field data type garbage in, garbage out (GIGO)

Vocabulary

  database management system

(DBMS) flat-file database sort relational database key field object-oriented database  

Vocabulary

  information overload browse ascending order descending order Report report template

Vocabulary

database   an organized collection of

information that may or may not be stored in a computer

base de datos  conjunto organizado de información que puede estar guardado o no en una computadora

Vocabulary

table   the underlying structure of a

relational database characterized by rows and columns

tabla   estructura subyacente de una base

de datos relacional caracterizada por filas y columnas

Vocabulary

record   a part of a database that holds data

about a particular individual or item registro   parte de una base de datos que

contiene datos acerca de un individuo o elemento específico

Vocabulary

field   part of a database that holds an

individual piece of data campo   parte de una base de datos que

contiene un dato individual

Vocabulary

data type   settings applied to a database field,

which allow the field to store only information of a specific type and/or format

tipo de datos   parámetros que se aplican a un campo

de base de datos, que permiten al campo almacenar información de un solo tipo y/o formato específico

Vocabulary

garbage in, garbage out (GIGO)   a phrase that stresses the

importance of inputting accurate data in a database

entra basura, sale basura   frase que destaca la importancia de

introducir datos precisos en una base de datos

Vocabulary

database management system (DBMS)  

a software program used to manage the storage, organization, processing, and retrieval of data in a database

sistema de administración de bases de datos  

programa de software que sirve para administrar el almacenamiento, organización, procesamiento y recuperación de datos de una base de datos

Vocabulary

flat-file database   a database that can work with only

one table at a time base de datos de archivos planos

  una base de datos que trabaja sólo

con un archivo a la vez

Vocabulary

sort   to arrange data in a specific order ordenar   disponer datos siguiendo un orden

específico

Vocabulary

relational database   a database in which shared key

fields link data among tables base de datos relacional   base de datos en la que los campos

clave compartidos enlazan datos entre tablas

Vocabulary

key field   an element that links tables in a

relational database campo clave   elemento que enlaza tablas de una

base de datos relacional

Vocabulary

information overload   the result of a computer user being

overwhelmed by the amount of information generated by his or her computer

sobrecarga de información   lo que ocurre cuando un usuario de

computadora se ve abrumado por la cantidad de información que genera su computadora

Vocabulary

browse   to find information in a database by

looking at records one at a time examinar   buscar información en una base de

datos revisando los registros uno por uno

Vocabulary

ascending order   the sorting of data by increasing

value orden ascendente   clasificación de los datos en orden de

valor creciente

Vocabulary

descending order   the sorting of data by decreasing

value orden descendente   ordenamiento de datos por valor

decreciente

Vocabulary

report   an ordered list of selected database

records and fields in an easy-to-read format

informe   lista ordenada de una selección de

registros y campos de base de datos en un formato de fácil lectura

Vocabulary

report template   a pattern that controls how data will

be displayed in a database report plantilla de informe   patrón que controla la forma de

mostrar los datos en un informe de base de datos

Assessment chapter 8

1 Which of the following is not a part of a database? C. fields

   2.In a database, a _____ is a unit of information about one individual or item. B.field

3 Which of the following is not an advantage of a computerized database?

D.the ability to organize information in different ways

  4.What does the term GIGO stand for?

C.garbage in, garbage out

   5.Which type of database allows you to work with data in only one table? C.flat-file database   

6.This kind of database can be used to store all kinds of items, such as documents or video clips. A.flat-file database

 7._____ the same data in multiple tables requires the computer to store more information and increases the chance of errors. B. Avoiding

8.This means finding data by looking at all the records in a database. B. mining

9.If you sort data in order of increasing value, such as A–Z or 1–9, what sort order are you using? D.exponential

10.This is a user-created direction that tells the database to find specific records

 11.A database is an organized collection of information. A. True

12.Databases typically store all their data in one large table B .False

 13.A field’s data type determines what kind of information can be stored there A. True

 14.A computerized database can store millions of telephone numbers. A. True

 15.One disadvantage of computerized databases is that they limit your ability to arrange information. B.False

 16.The same features that make databases efficient tools also enable them to keep data secure. B .False

18.The people who create databases can avoid causing information overload by summarizing information so that it does not overwhelm the databases’ users. A.True

 17.Instead of storing the same data in multiple tables, it is more efficient to store the data in one table and link it to other tables. A.True

19.If you sort a database’s information chronologically, then you are sorting letters and symbols. B.False

  20.A query lets you speed up the browsing process by finding information that matches specific criteria. A.True