Which statement best describes data normalization?

Which statement best describes data normalization?

• A. Normalization reduces redundancy by organizing data into related tables.
• B. Denormalization reduces redundancy.
• C. Normalization increases redundancy.
• D. Denormalization eliminates all data redundancy.

Answer: (A)

Data normalization aims to minimize data duplication by structuring the database into related tables and using keys to link them. By splitting information (for example, separating customers from their orders and linking them with a customer_id), updates, deletions, and inserts can be performed without having to change the same data in multiple places. This reduces redundancy and helps maintain data consistency across the database, which is exactly what the statement describes. Denormalization is typically used to improve read performance by reintroducing some data duplication or combining tables, which tends to increase redundancy rather than reduce it. Normalization itself does not increase redundancy; it seeks to minimize it, and it does not eliminate all redundancy in every possible real-world scenario, but its main goal is to reduce duplication.

Data normalization aims to minimize data duplication by structuring the database into related tables and using keys to link them. By splitting information (for example, separating customers from their orders and linking them with a customer_id), updates, deletions, and inserts can be performed without having to change the same data in multiple places. This reduces redundancy and helps maintain data consistency across the database, which is exactly what the statement describes.

Denormalization is typically used to improve read performance by reintroducing some data duplication or combining tables, which tends to increase redundancy rather than reduce it. Normalization itself does not increase redundancy; it seeks to minimize it, and it does not eliminate all redundancy in every possible real-world scenario, but its main goal is to reduce duplication.