In transforming an ER model to a relational schema, each entity type is typically represented as which relational structure?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: table

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
ER modeling precedes relational design. The standard mapping is straightforward: entities become tables; attributes become columns; and relationships become foreign keys (or associative tables). Understanding this mapping accelerates consistent, maintainable schemas.



Given Data / Assumptions:

  • An ER diagram defines one or more entity types with attributes.
  • Target platform is a relational DBMS.
  • We want a normalized first-cut schema.


Concept / Approach:
An entity becomes a table. Each table carries columns corresponding to the entity's attributes and a primary key that implements the entity's identifier. Relationships translate into foreign keys or, for many-to-many, into separate associative (junction) tables.



Step-by-Step Solution:

Enumerate entities in the ER model.Create a table for each entity with an appropriate primary key.Map attributes to columns and relationships to foreign keys or associative tables.


Verification / Alternative check:
Review that each table aligns to a single theme (3NF-friendly) and that all relationships are representable via keys.



Why Other Options Are Wrong:

  • Tuple: A tuple is a row, not an entire entity set.
  • Attribute: Attributes become columns, not standalone entities.
  • File: A storage concept outside relational modeling.
  • View: A derived, virtual table; entities map to base tables.


Common Pitfalls:
Combining multiple entities in one table creates update anomalies. Keep one entity per table to maintain clarity and normalization.



Final Answer:
table

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