Which of the following statements is NOT true with respect to database…

2013

Which of the following statements is NOT true with respect to database normalization?

  1. A.

    A 4NF table is more immune against logical inconsistencies than a 3NF table.

  2. B.

    A 3NF table will have fewer anomalies than a 2NF table.

  3. C.

    A 3NF table is more vulnerable than a 2NF table.

  4. D.

    A database is said to be in 3NF if all its tables are in 3NF.

Attempted by 634 students.

Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C

Correct identification of the NOT true statement:

The statement "A 3NF table is more vulnerable than a 2NF table." is NOT true.

Why this is false:

  • 3NF reduces redundancy beyond 2NF by eliminating transitive dependencies. This reduces insertion, update, and deletion anomalies, so a table in 3NF is generally less vulnerable than the same table left in 2NF.

Short notes on the other statements:

  • The statement that a 4NF table is more immune against logical inconsistencies than a 3NF table is generally correct: 4NF addresses multi-valued dependencies that 3NF does not, preventing additional redundancy-related issues.

  • The statement that a 3NF table will have fewer anomalies than a 2NF table is correct because 3NF removes transitive dependencies that cause anomalies.

  • The statement that a database is in 3NF if all its tables are in 3NF is correct: the database-level normal form is determined by all constituent tables meeting the normal form.

Explore the full course: Up Lt Grade Assistant Teacher 2025