Question-9
GATE-2021
DBMS
Foreign key
Consider the following statements S1 and S2 about the relational data model:
S1: A relation scheme can have at most one foreign key.
S2: A foreign key in a relation scheme \(R\) cannot be used to refer to tuples of \(R\).
Which one of the following choices is correct?
NoteAnswer
NoteSolution
| Relation Scheme | Foreign Keys |
|---|---|
| Employees | DepartmentID |
| Employees | ManagerID |
In the above example, the Employees relation scheme contains two foreign keys: one referring to the DepartmentID in the Departments relation and another referring to the ManagerID within the same Employees relation.
The fact that there are two foreign keys contradicts S1 and the fact that the foreign key ManagerID refers to the same relation Employees contradicts S2
Hence, both S1 and S2 are false.