In a 1:N (one-to-many) relationship, identify which side is the parent and which is the child according to ER modeling conventions.

Introduction / Context:
Correctly naming the “parent” and “child” in a 1:N relationship is important for understanding ownership, foreign keys, and the direction of optionality. This convention is used in ER diagrams and relational schema design.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We consider classic 1:N relationships such as Customer–Order, Department–Employee.
• Parent supplies the primary key that the child references via a foreign key.
• We are not limiting to identifying vs. non-identifying relationships; the convention applies to both.

Concept / Approach:
In 1:N, the entity on the one (1) side is the parent; each parent may relate to many children. The entity on the many (N) side is the child, which carries the foreign key back to the parent. Identifying (solid line) relationships embed the parent PK into the child’s PK, while non-identifying (dashed) place it as a non-key attribute—yet the parent/child terminology remains the same.

Step-by-Step Solution:
State the convention: 1-side = parent; N-side = child.Apply to examples: Customer (parent) → Order (child); Department (parent) → Employee (child).Confirm that the child holds the FK to the parent’s PK.Therefore, the given statement is correct.

Verification / Alternative check:
Examine schema DDL: orders(customer_id FK references customers(id)). The FK lives in the N-side child, matching the convention.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Options reversing parent/child contradict schema practice; denying the convention ignores standard vocabulary; tying parentage solely to identifying relationships is incorrect.

Common Pitfalls:
Confusing optionality with cardinality; believing nullable FK flips parent/child roles; assuming parent must be mandatory in all cases.

Final Answer:
Valid statement — parent is on the 1 side; child is on the N side