A. What is a database?

A database is an organized collection of information (stored on a computer).

Each Record contains categories, called Fields, of data. An everyday example would be a

Each card is a Record. Each category is called a field. Al the numbers are the Data.

A simple example

• A database is an organized collection of information
• Information is organised into tables - each table contains records, fields and data. 
• Data can be input using data entry forms or imported.
• You can search the data using a query and sort the results
• These results can be formatted and output using reports.

Here is an example of a database table

• It contains 4 fields
• It has 3 records
• It has 12 pieces of data

Here is an example of a database record presented as a form (the database contains many such records)

• It has 9 fields
• It has 9 items of data

2    Look at the database table below

    a)    How many records are there?
    b)    How many fields are there?
    c)    How many items of data are there?
    d)    Write down an example of a field
    e)    Write down an example of a record
    f)    Write down an example of data
    g)    Write the name of a field that contains a number
    h)    Write the name of a field that contains date/time
    i)     There are 2 text fields in the table below - write their names
   

3       Look at the database table below

    a)    How many records are there?
    b)    How many fields are there?
    c)    How many items of data are there?
    d)    Write down an example of a field
    e)    Write down an example of a record
    f)    Write down an example of data
    g)    None of the fields are considered to be a number field - why are the telephone numbers NOT numbers?
    h)    Why is Address split over 3 fields (hint - why would this be good if you were searching or sorting the data?)
   

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