Complex Quantification in Structured Query Language (SQL): A Tutorial Using Relational Calculus

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Název: Complex Quantification in Structured Query Language (SQL): A Tutorial Using Relational Calculus
Jazyk: English
Autoři: Kawash, Jalal
Zdroj: Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching. 2004 23(2):169-190.
Dostupnost: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education, P.O. Box 1545, Chesapeake, VA 23327-1545. Tel: 757-366-5606.
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 22
Datum vydání: 2004
Druh dokumentu: Journal Articles
Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education
Descriptors: Databases, Database Design, Calculus, Translation, Teaching Methods, Undergraduate Study
ISSN: 0731-9258
Abstrakt: The Structured Query Language (SQL) forms a substantial component of introductory database courses and is supported by almost every commercial database product. One disadvantage of SQL is that it does not provide a universal quantification construct. Queries that have twisted universal and existential quantifiers can be stunning for students, practitioners, or even instructors. Universal quantification exists in natural languages and proliferates in our daily logic. Experience shows that students can infer the rigorous logic, such as the tuple relational calculus, from natural language queries, but find it cumbersome to translate it to SQL. To bridge this gap, this article develops a systematic method to translate tuple relational calculus queries to SQL. This is accomplished by introducing the SQL-Normal-Form of tuple relational calculus from which generating SQL code is straightforward. The approach is illustrated by a series of examples. This method was voluntarily adopted by a vast majority of students when it was introduced in a third-year introductory course on database systems.
Abstractor: ERIC
Number of References: 9
Entry Date: 2006
Přístupová URL adresa: https://www.aace.org
Přístupové číslo: EJ724670
Databáze: ERIC
Popis
Abstrakt:The Structured Query Language (SQL) forms a substantial component of introductory database courses and is supported by almost every commercial database product. One disadvantage of SQL is that it does not provide a universal quantification construct. Queries that have twisted universal and existential quantifiers can be stunning for students, practitioners, or even instructors. Universal quantification exists in natural languages and proliferates in our daily logic. Experience shows that students can infer the rigorous logic, such as the tuple relational calculus, from natural language queries, but find it cumbersome to translate it to SQL. To bridge this gap, this article develops a systematic method to translate tuple relational calculus queries to SQL. This is accomplished by introducing the SQL-Normal-Form of tuple relational calculus from which generating SQL code is straightforward. The approach is illustrated by a series of examples. This method was voluntarily adopted by a vast majority of students when it was introduced in a third-year introductory course on database systems.
ISSN:0731-9258