Which of the following statements is not true about surrogate keys in relational database design?

Introduction / Context:
Surrogate keys are system-generated identifiers used as primary keys in relational databases. They are often used when no suitable natural key exists or when we want to keep business logic separate from technical identifiers.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Surrogate keys are typically numeric and auto-incremented.
• They are generated internally by the DBMS.
• The question asks which statement about surrogate keys is incorrect.

Concept / Approach:
Surrogate keys have no business meaning. They are purely artificial identifiers. They are usually short (e.g., integers), fixed (do not change once assigned), and numeric. The incorrect statement would be that they “have meaning to the user.”

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Database theory literature confirms that surrogate keys are arbitrary identifiers with no semantic meaning in business terms.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
They are short: Usually true since integers are compact.
They are fixed: Once assigned, surrogate keys do not change.
They are numeric: Generally implemented as integers or bigints.
They have meaning to the user: False; they are meaningless to end users.

Common Pitfalls:
Assuming surrogate keys can encode business semantics; that is the role of natural keys.

Final Answer:
They have meaning to the user.