WGU D426 Exam 2025/2026| 414
Questions and Correct Answers| 100%
Correct.
Data
Numeric, textual, visual, or audio information that describes real-world systems.
Analog
Historically, data was mostly analog, encoded as continuous variations on various physical media.
Digital
Today, data is mostly digital, encoded as zeros and ones on electronic and magnetic media.
Database
A collection of data in a structured format.
Database system
Software that reads and writes data in a database, ensuring data is secure, consistent, and available.
Query language
A specialized programming language designed for database systems. It is a computer programming
language for writing database queries.
Database application
Software that helps business users interact with database systems.
Database administrator
Is responsible for securing the database system against unauthorized users. A database
administrator enforces procedures for user access and database system availability.
Database designer
Determines the format of data elements and the overall database structure. It is a specification of
database objects such as tables, columns, data types, and indexes. Database design also refers to the
process used to develop the specification.
Database programmer
Develops computer programs that utilize a database.
Database user
A consumer of data in a database who requests, updates, or uses stored data.
Transaction
A group of queries that must be completed or rejected as a whole.
,Database Architecture
The internal components and relationships of a database system.
Query processor
Interprets queries, creates a plan to modify or retrieve data, and returns query results.
The query processor performs query optimization to ensure the most efficient instructions are
executed on the data.
Storage manager
Translates the query processor instructions into low-level file-system commands that modify or
retrieve data. Database sizes range from megabytes to many terabytes, so the storage manager uses
indexes to quickly locate data.
Indexes
Used by the storage manager to quickly locate data.
Transaction manager
Ensures transactions are properly executed.
The transaction manager prevents conflicts between concurrent transactions. The transaction
manager also restores the database to a consistent state in the event of a transaction or system
failure.
Log
A file containing a complete record of all database changes.
Catalog
A directory of tables, columns, indexes, and other database objects.
Relational database
Stores data in tables, columns, and rows.
A type of database that uses a structure called a relational model to organize and manage data. Data
is organized into tables, where each table consists of rows and columns.
SQL
Structured Query Language, the standard query language of relational databases. It was first
developed at IBM in the 1970s as an experimental query language for a prototype relational
database.
Structured Query Language
The standard query language of relational databases. A high-level language for storing, manipulating,
and retrieving data.
Big data
,Massive volumes of online data, often with poorly structured or missing information.
NoSQL
Non-relational systems optimized for big data.
Open source
Software that can be inspected, copied, and modified with no licensing fee.
Query
A command for a database that inserts, retrieves, updates, or deletes data.
CRUD
Create, Read, Update, and Delete data.
Statement
A database command, such as a query or update. A SQL statement is a complete command
composed of one or more clauses.
Data type
A named set of values, from which column values are drawn. The format of column values. Each
column is assigned a data type that indicates the format of column values. ____ _____ can be
numeric, textual, or complex. A ____ ____ is a named set of values from which column values are
drawn.
Database design
The specification of database objects and the process used to develop the specification.
Application programming interface
Links a programming language to a database.
API (Application Programming Interface)
A library of procedures or classes that links a host programming language to a database. The host
language calls library procedures, which handle details such as connecting to the database,
executing queries, and returning results.
Analysis
The phase that specifies database requirements without regard to a specific database system.
Requirements are represented as entities, relationships, and attributes.
An entity is a person, place, activity, or thing.
A relationship is a link between entities.
An attribute is a descriptive property of an entity.
term-38
It has many alternative names, such as conceptual design, entity-relationship modeling, and
requirements definition.
, ER diagrams
Depict entities, relationships, and attributes.
Rectangles represent entities. Entity names appear at the top of rectangles.
Lines between rectangles represent relationships.
Text inside rectangles and below entity names represent attributes.
ER diagrams are usually supplemented by textual descriptions of entities, relationships, and
attributes.
Logical design
Implements database requirements in a specific database system. For relational database systems,
logical design converts entities, relationships, and attributes into tables, keys, and columns. It also
affects the query result.
Specifies tables, columns, and keys. The logical design process is described elsewhere in this
material.
Key
A column used to identify individual rows of a table. Refers to a field or set of fields in a database
table that is used to uniquely identify a record in that table. ___ play a crucial role in organizing and
accessing data efficiently.
Table diagram
A graphical representation of the logical design. Refers to a visual representation of the structure of
a relational database table. These diagrams are often part of the database design process and are
used to illustrate the various components and relationships within a table.
Schema
The logical design specified in SQL and depicted in a table diagram. Refers to the structure or
blueprint that defines the organization of data within a database. It provides a logical framework for
how the database is designed and how the data is organized and related to one another. The ______
defines the tables, fields, relationships, and constraints that make up the database.
Physical design
Adds indexes and specifies how tables are organized on storage media. It is specified with SQL
statements such as CREATE INDEX and, like logical design, is specific to a database system. It can be
depicted in diagrams. However, logical design is more important for database users and
programmers, so physical design diagrams are not commonly used. It also affects query processing
speed but never affects the query result.
Specifies indexes, table structures, and partitions. Physical design affects query performance but
never affects query results.
Data independence
Questions and Correct Answers| 100%
Correct.
Data
Numeric, textual, visual, or audio information that describes real-world systems.
Analog
Historically, data was mostly analog, encoded as continuous variations on various physical media.
Digital
Today, data is mostly digital, encoded as zeros and ones on electronic and magnetic media.
Database
A collection of data in a structured format.
Database system
Software that reads and writes data in a database, ensuring data is secure, consistent, and available.
Query language
A specialized programming language designed for database systems. It is a computer programming
language for writing database queries.
Database application
Software that helps business users interact with database systems.
Database administrator
Is responsible for securing the database system against unauthorized users. A database
administrator enforces procedures for user access and database system availability.
Database designer
Determines the format of data elements and the overall database structure. It is a specification of
database objects such as tables, columns, data types, and indexes. Database design also refers to the
process used to develop the specification.
Database programmer
Develops computer programs that utilize a database.
Database user
A consumer of data in a database who requests, updates, or uses stored data.
Transaction
A group of queries that must be completed or rejected as a whole.
,Database Architecture
The internal components and relationships of a database system.
Query processor
Interprets queries, creates a plan to modify or retrieve data, and returns query results.
The query processor performs query optimization to ensure the most efficient instructions are
executed on the data.
Storage manager
Translates the query processor instructions into low-level file-system commands that modify or
retrieve data. Database sizes range from megabytes to many terabytes, so the storage manager uses
indexes to quickly locate data.
Indexes
Used by the storage manager to quickly locate data.
Transaction manager
Ensures transactions are properly executed.
The transaction manager prevents conflicts between concurrent transactions. The transaction
manager also restores the database to a consistent state in the event of a transaction or system
failure.
Log
A file containing a complete record of all database changes.
Catalog
A directory of tables, columns, indexes, and other database objects.
Relational database
Stores data in tables, columns, and rows.
A type of database that uses a structure called a relational model to organize and manage data. Data
is organized into tables, where each table consists of rows and columns.
SQL
Structured Query Language, the standard query language of relational databases. It was first
developed at IBM in the 1970s as an experimental query language for a prototype relational
database.
Structured Query Language
The standard query language of relational databases. A high-level language for storing, manipulating,
and retrieving data.
Big data
,Massive volumes of online data, often with poorly structured or missing information.
NoSQL
Non-relational systems optimized for big data.
Open source
Software that can be inspected, copied, and modified with no licensing fee.
Query
A command for a database that inserts, retrieves, updates, or deletes data.
CRUD
Create, Read, Update, and Delete data.
Statement
A database command, such as a query or update. A SQL statement is a complete command
composed of one or more clauses.
Data type
A named set of values, from which column values are drawn. The format of column values. Each
column is assigned a data type that indicates the format of column values. ____ _____ can be
numeric, textual, or complex. A ____ ____ is a named set of values from which column values are
drawn.
Database design
The specification of database objects and the process used to develop the specification.
Application programming interface
Links a programming language to a database.
API (Application Programming Interface)
A library of procedures or classes that links a host programming language to a database. The host
language calls library procedures, which handle details such as connecting to the database,
executing queries, and returning results.
Analysis
The phase that specifies database requirements without regard to a specific database system.
Requirements are represented as entities, relationships, and attributes.
An entity is a person, place, activity, or thing.
A relationship is a link between entities.
An attribute is a descriptive property of an entity.
term-38
It has many alternative names, such as conceptual design, entity-relationship modeling, and
requirements definition.
, ER diagrams
Depict entities, relationships, and attributes.
Rectangles represent entities. Entity names appear at the top of rectangles.
Lines between rectangles represent relationships.
Text inside rectangles and below entity names represent attributes.
ER diagrams are usually supplemented by textual descriptions of entities, relationships, and
attributes.
Logical design
Implements database requirements in a specific database system. For relational database systems,
logical design converts entities, relationships, and attributes into tables, keys, and columns. It also
affects the query result.
Specifies tables, columns, and keys. The logical design process is described elsewhere in this
material.
Key
A column used to identify individual rows of a table. Refers to a field or set of fields in a database
table that is used to uniquely identify a record in that table. ___ play a crucial role in organizing and
accessing data efficiently.
Table diagram
A graphical representation of the logical design. Refers to a visual representation of the structure of
a relational database table. These diagrams are often part of the database design process and are
used to illustrate the various components and relationships within a table.
Schema
The logical design specified in SQL and depicted in a table diagram. Refers to the structure or
blueprint that defines the organization of data within a database. It provides a logical framework for
how the database is designed and how the data is organized and related to one another. The ______
defines the tables, fields, relationships, and constraints that make up the database.
Physical design
Adds indexes and specifies how tables are organized on storage media. It is specified with SQL
statements such as CREATE INDEX and, like logical design, is specific to a database system. It can be
depicted in diagrams. However, logical design is more important for database users and
programmers, so physical design diagrams are not commonly used. It also affects query processing
speed but never affects the query result.
Specifies indexes, table structures, and partitions. Physical design affects query performance but
never affects query results.
Data independence
