In a non-identifying relationship, how is the primary key of the parent table represented in the child table?

In a non-identifying relationship, how is the primary key of the parent table represented in the child table?

• A. As a primary foreign key
• B. As part of a composite key
• C. As a non-primary foreign key attribute
• D. As an alternate key

Answer: (C)

In a non-identifying relationship, the primary key of the parent table is represented in the child table as a non-primary foreign key attribute. This indicates that the child table does not depend on the primary key of the parent table to establish its own uniqueness. In a non-identifying relationship, the child table contains a reference to the parent table through a foreign key, but this foreign key is not part of the primary key of the child table. This means that while the child table can reference the parent record, it also has its own primary key that may consist of its unique attributes. This is different from an identifying relationship, where the foreign key from the parent table is also part of the primary key of the child table, thereby tightly coupling the two tables. By using a non-primary foreign key, the child entity can maintain its independence while still being able to link back to the parent entity for relational integrity and reference purposes. This structure allows for flexible relationships between tables within a database, accommodating various scenarios in data management and modeling.

In a non-identifying relationship, the primary key of the parent table is represented in the child table as a non-primary foreign key attribute. This indicates that the child table does not depend on the primary key of the parent table to establish its own uniqueness.

In a non-identifying relationship, the child table contains a reference to the parent table through a foreign key, but this foreign key is not part of the primary key of the child table. This means that while the child table can reference the parent record, it also has its own primary key that may consist of its unique attributes. This is different from an identifying relationship, where the foreign key from the parent table is also part of the primary key of the child table, thereby tightly coupling the two tables.

By using a non-primary foreign key, the child entity can maintain its independence while still being able to link back to the parent entity for relational integrity and reference purposes. This structure allows for flexible relationships between tables within a database, accommodating various scenarios in data management and modeling.