Functional Dependency
Functional dependency is a concept in database design that describes a relationship between two sets of attributes. Specifically, if one attribute (or group of attributes) can uniquely determine another attribute, then the second attribute is said to be functionally dependent on the first. For example, if you have a person's ID number, it can determine their name; knowing the ID lets you find the corresponding name without ambiguity. Functional dependency helps organize data efficiently, ensuring consistency and reducing redundancy in databases.
Additional Insights
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Functional dependency is a concept from database management and relational theory that describes a relationship between two sets of attributes in a database. When we say attribute A functionally determines attribute B, it means that if we know the value of A, we can uniquely determine the value of B. For example, in a school database, if we know a student's ID number (A), we can find their name (B). This relationship helps maintain data integrity and ensures that information is organized efficiently, allowing for accurate retrieval and updates.