Question

In this exercise we introduce one of our running examples of a relational database schema. The database schema consists of four relations, whose schemas are:

a)Product (maker, model, type)
b)PC (model, speed, ram, hd, price)
c)Laptop (model, speed, ram, hd, screen, price)
d)Printer (model, color, type, price) The Product relation gives the manufacturer, model number and type (PC, laptop, or printer) of various products. We assume for convenience that model numbers are unique over all manufacturers and product types; that assumption is not realistic, and a real database would include a code for the manufacturer as part of the model number. The PC relation gives for each model number that is a PC the speed (of the processor, in gigahertz), the amount of RAM (in megabytes), the size of the hard disk (in gigabytes), and the price.

Answer 1

The student's question revolves around defining the structure for a relational database schema, involving the organization of data across multiple tables and the interrelation of different product attributes.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question relates to the creation of a relational database schema consisting of several related tables. In a database, delineating the schema involves defining how tables, which hold data, relate to one another. For instance, one can correlate the Product relationship, which contains information such as maker, model, and type, with other relationships like PC, Laptop, and Printer that give more specific attributes corresponding to each product type.

Organizing data efficiently in a table is crucial when evaluating relationships between variables, such as understanding the productivity of countries in terms of needed workers to produce a unit of product. Moreover, understanding and defining a schema aligns closely with the concept of modifying one's mental schema, as in the example of Abdul, who adjusts his schema for dogs after encountering a sheep for the first time.