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Relational databases and structured query language (SQL)GeneraldatabaseSQLrelational database

AQA GCSE · Question 18.1 · Relational databases and structured query language (SQL)

Figure 4MemberMemberIDFirstNameLastNameDateJoined1ZarahTariq2020-01-052PennyHill2020-01-053PeterBoyes2020-02-144ReubenBailey2020-10-20AwardAwardIDMemberIDDatePresentedAwardName112020-09-10Teamwork212020-10-13Outdoors332020-06-19Challenge422020-11-11Leader

A relational database has been developed for a youth club to store information about their members and the awards they are given. The database contains two tables: Member and Award. Figure 4 shows some data from the tables.
Define the term relational database.

How to approach this question

Break down the term "relational database". 1. **Database:** What is a database? (A structured collection of data). 2. **Relational:** What does this part mean? It's the key part of the definition. It implies there are multiple tables and they are connected or have relationships. 3. **How are they related?** Mention the mechanism used to link tables (primary and foreign keys). Combine these points into a clear definition.

Full Answer

A relational database is a collection of data organised into one or more linked tables. Each table consists of rows (records) and columns (fields), and relationships between tables are established using primary and foreign keys.
A relational database is a type of database that stores and provides access to data points that are related to one another. It does not store data in one single large table, but instead organizes data into multiple tables. - Each table represents a specific entity (like 'Member' or 'Award'). - Tables are linked together based on defined relationships. - These relationships are created using **keys**. A **primary key** is a unique identifier for each record in a table. A **foreign key** is a field in one table that refers to the primary key in another table, thereby creating the link.

Common mistakes

✗ Just saying "a database with tables" without mentioning the links or relationships. ✗ Confusing it with a flat-file database (which is a single table). ✗ Not mentioning primary or foreign keys.
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