Final answer:
A determinant in a database does not have to be a primary key; it is an attribute that uniquely determines other attributes. A primary key is a chosen determinant to identify records in a table, and other non-key determinants are simply unique keys.
Step-by-step explanation:
No, a determinant does not have to be a primary key. In database theory, a determinant is any attribute or a combination of attributes that can be used to uniquely determine another attribute within a database table. A primary key, on the other hand, is a specific determinant chosen by a database designer to uniquely identify each record in the table.
It is also possible for a table to have several potential primary keys, and these are called candidate keys. But only one candidate key is selected as the primary key. The other candidate keys are known as alternate keys. A determinant that is not used as a primary key or an alternate key is simply a unique key within a table that is not chosen to enforce entity integrity.