Final answer:
The most basic element of useful data in a database is the record, which contains multiple fields or columns representing specific information about an entity. Each record is uniquely identified by a key. A field represents a specific attribute or characteristic of the entity being stored.
Step-by-step explanation:
In a database, the most basic element of useful data is the record. A record is a collection of related data that represents a single entity, such as a person, a product, or an event. It contains multiple fields or columns, each of which represents a specific piece of information about the entity. For example, in a database of students, a record may contain fields such as name, age, and grade level.
Each record in a database is uniquely identified by a key. The key can be a single field or a combination of fields that is used to distinguish one record from another. It provides a way to access and retrieve specific records within a database quickly.
Within a record, each piece of data is stored in a field. A field represents a specific attribute or characteristic of the entity being stored. For example, in a database of customers, a field may represent the customer's name, address, or phone number.