WGU C175/D426 DATA MANAGEMENT
FOUNDATIONS OA PRACTICE EXAM
VERSION: 2025/2026 | QUESTIONS: 80
| FORMAT: MULTIPLE CHOICE
Section 1: Core Database Concepts & Architecture
1. Which of the following best describes the primary function of a Database Management System
(DBMS)?
A) To store data in a collection of unstructured files.
B) To manage the database structure and control access to data.
C) To design the user interface for data entry.
D) To create data visualizations for business intelligence.
2. What is the fundamental difference between 'data' and 'information'?
A) Data is processed information; information is raw facts.
B) Data is stored digitally; information is printed on paper.
C) Data is raw facts; information is data processed to reveal meaning.
D) There is no difference; they are interchangeable terms.
3. Which type of database is optimized for handling real-time, day-to-day transactions?
A) Analytical Database
B) Data Warehouse
C) Operational Database
D) XML Database
4. What is the role of a data dictionary?
A) To store the actual data of the database.
B) To provide a detailed definition of all data components in the database.
C) To manage user login credentials and permissions.
D) To create indexes for query optimization.
,5. In the relational model, what is the formal term for a 'row'?
A) Attribute
B) Domain
C) Relation
D) Tuple
6. What term refers to the condition in which different versions of the same data appear in different
places, often due to redundancy?
A) Data integrity
B) Data consistency
C) Data anomaly
D) Data inconsistency
Section 2: Entity-Relationship Diagrams (ERDs) & Data Modeling
7. In an Entity-Relationship (ER) diagram, what does cardinality represent?
A) The minimum number of times an instance in one entity can be associated with another.
B) The maximum number of times an instance in one entity can be associated with another.
C) The specific data type of an attribute.
D) The uniqueness of an attribute.
8. In an ER diagram, how is modality (minimum cardinality) depicted?
A) As a '1' or 'M' on the relationship line, closest to the entity.
B) As a '0' or '1' on the relationship line, next to the cardinality.
C) As a crow's foot symbol.
D) As a double line around the entity.
9. A relationship between two entities is known as a:
A) Unary relationship
B) Binary relationship
C) Ternary relationship
D) Recursive relationship
10. A customer can place many orders, but a single order is placed by exactly one customer. What type
of binary relationship is this?
A) One-to-One
B) One-to-Many
C) Many-to-Many
D) Unary
11. In an ER diagram, a single vertical line through the relationship line next to an entity indicates that
the entity is:
, A) Optional
B) Mandatory
C) A primary identifier
D) A derived attribute
12. What does a 'PI' notation on an attribute in an ER diagram signify?
A) Plural Identifier
B) Primary Identifier
C) Partial Index
D) Primary Instance
Section 3: Relational Model & Keys
13. Which of the following is NOT a mathematical concept on which the relational model is based?
A) Domain
B) Tuple
C) Relation
D) Hierarchy
14. An attribute (or group of attributes) that uniquely identifies each tuple in a relation is called a:
A) Foreign key
B) Superkey
C) Candidate key
D) Secondary key
15. What is a foreign key?
A) An attribute that uniquely identifies a tuple within its own table.
B) An attribute that is used to index a table for faster queries.
C) An attribute in one table that refers to the primary key of another table.
D) An attribute that has been removed from a table to normalize it.
16. What is a 'candidate key'?
A) A key that has been selected to be the primary key.
B) A key that is used to link two tables.
C) A key that is made up of two or more columns.
D) A key that is a candidate to be the primary key.
17. If a table has a composite primary key (e.g., OrderID and ProductID), what is true for a table to be in
Second Normal Form (2NF)?
A) All non-key attributes must depend on the whole primary key, not just part of it.
B) The table must have no repeating groups.
FOUNDATIONS OA PRACTICE EXAM
VERSION: 2025/2026 | QUESTIONS: 80
| FORMAT: MULTIPLE CHOICE
Section 1: Core Database Concepts & Architecture
1. Which of the following best describes the primary function of a Database Management System
(DBMS)?
A) To store data in a collection of unstructured files.
B) To manage the database structure and control access to data.
C) To design the user interface for data entry.
D) To create data visualizations for business intelligence.
2. What is the fundamental difference between 'data' and 'information'?
A) Data is processed information; information is raw facts.
B) Data is stored digitally; information is printed on paper.
C) Data is raw facts; information is data processed to reveal meaning.
D) There is no difference; they are interchangeable terms.
3. Which type of database is optimized for handling real-time, day-to-day transactions?
A) Analytical Database
B) Data Warehouse
C) Operational Database
D) XML Database
4. What is the role of a data dictionary?
A) To store the actual data of the database.
B) To provide a detailed definition of all data components in the database.
C) To manage user login credentials and permissions.
D) To create indexes for query optimization.
,5. In the relational model, what is the formal term for a 'row'?
A) Attribute
B) Domain
C) Relation
D) Tuple
6. What term refers to the condition in which different versions of the same data appear in different
places, often due to redundancy?
A) Data integrity
B) Data consistency
C) Data anomaly
D) Data inconsistency
Section 2: Entity-Relationship Diagrams (ERDs) & Data Modeling
7. In an Entity-Relationship (ER) diagram, what does cardinality represent?
A) The minimum number of times an instance in one entity can be associated with another.
B) The maximum number of times an instance in one entity can be associated with another.
C) The specific data type of an attribute.
D) The uniqueness of an attribute.
8. In an ER diagram, how is modality (minimum cardinality) depicted?
A) As a '1' or 'M' on the relationship line, closest to the entity.
B) As a '0' or '1' on the relationship line, next to the cardinality.
C) As a crow's foot symbol.
D) As a double line around the entity.
9. A relationship between two entities is known as a:
A) Unary relationship
B) Binary relationship
C) Ternary relationship
D) Recursive relationship
10. A customer can place many orders, but a single order is placed by exactly one customer. What type
of binary relationship is this?
A) One-to-One
B) One-to-Many
C) Many-to-Many
D) Unary
11. In an ER diagram, a single vertical line through the relationship line next to an entity indicates that
the entity is:
, A) Optional
B) Mandatory
C) A primary identifier
D) A derived attribute
12. What does a 'PI' notation on an attribute in an ER diagram signify?
A) Plural Identifier
B) Primary Identifier
C) Partial Index
D) Primary Instance
Section 3: Relational Model & Keys
13. Which of the following is NOT a mathematical concept on which the relational model is based?
A) Domain
B) Tuple
C) Relation
D) Hierarchy
14. An attribute (or group of attributes) that uniquely identifies each tuple in a relation is called a:
A) Foreign key
B) Superkey
C) Candidate key
D) Secondary key
15. What is a foreign key?
A) An attribute that uniquely identifies a tuple within its own table.
B) An attribute that is used to index a table for faster queries.
C) An attribute in one table that refers to the primary key of another table.
D) An attribute that has been removed from a table to normalize it.
16. What is a 'candidate key'?
A) A key that has been selected to be the primary key.
B) A key that is used to link two tables.
C) A key that is made up of two or more columns.
D) A key that is a candidate to be the primary key.
17. If a table has a composite primary key (e.g., OrderID and ProductID), what is true for a table to be in
Second Normal Form (2NF)?
A) All non-key attributes must depend on the whole primary key, not just part of it.
B) The table must have no repeating groups.
