George Mason University
  Department of Computer Science

CS 450 - Database Concepts

Dr. Jessica Lin

Fall 2010

 

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 News & Announcements
11/19: HW4 posted. Due date is 12/2 at 1:35pm in class.
11/19: As mentioned in class, you may earn extra credit on the project. See the extra credit section on the updated project file on Blackboard.
 10/26: Project description has been posted on Blackboard. Note the due dates below.
 10/16: You may pick up your HW2 from the TA on Monday from 12 to 2pm (his new office hours for THIS WEEK ONLY). I'll then hold office hours from 2 to 4pm (in addition to my regular office hours Tuesday morning). Note: If you did not receive this announcement on the email during the weekend, then check your email account. Someone's email account is over-quota.
10/16: Quiz solutions are posted on Blackboard.
10/11: HW3 posted. Due date 10/28 at 1:35pm (submit electronically, and bring a hardcopy to class).
10/4: The schedule is modified. Please note that the midterm will be on 10/19 instead.
 9/20: HW2 posted. Due date: 10/5 at 1:35pm (in class).
 9/12: I've already sent out a few emails to the class emailing list (mostly answering questions). If you have not received anything from me (e.g. if you registered late for the class), please send me an email.
 9/4: Since Monday is a holiday, the TA's office hours will be changed to Tuesday 3-5pm (for this week only).
 9/3: HW1 posted. Due date: 9/16 at 1:35pm. Please read through the entire document for submission instructions.

Course Description

This course covers basics to intermediate knowledge for the design, implementation, and use of relational database systems. The main topics include the relational data model, Entity-Relationship (ER) model for database design, Relational Algebra, SQL, database programming, functional dependencies and normalization, and indexing.

Instructor:

Dr. Jessica Lin 

Office: Engineering Building 4419
Phone: 703-993-4693
Email: jessica [AT] cs [DOT] gmu [DOT] edu
Office Hours:  Tuesday 10am-12pm or by appointment

TA

 Yuan Li
 Email: ylif [AT] gmu [DOT] edu
 Office Hours: Monday 2-4pm
 Office: Engineering Building 4456

Classes

Tuesday/Thursday
1:30-2:45pm
Art and Design Building 2026

Course Outcomes

  • Knowledge of fundamental concepts of file and database management.
  • Knowledge of database design principles, and ability to model real-world environments using the ER model.
  • Knowledge of the formal principles of the relational database model and its query languages, and ability to design relational databases and express queries in the relational algebra and calculus.
  • Knowledge of the Structured Query Language (SQL) and database programming principles, and ability to author SQL queries and implement Java database applications using the Oracle database system.
  • Knowledge of the basic principles of the mathematical theory of database design, and ability to design databases that adhere to Boyce-Codd Normal Form.
  • Experience in the complete database creative process: from database design, to database constuction, to database programming.

Prerequisites:

C or better in CS 310 (Data Structures) and CS 330 (Formal Methods and Models)

Grading

Assignment/Project: 35%
Quiz: 5%
Midterm: 25%
Final: 35%

Exams

Quizzes will be given in the beginning of the class. They may or may not be announced in advance. The lowest quiz grade will be dropped at the end of the semester. There will be a midterm exam and a final exam covering lectures and readings (both will be in class, closed book). The final exam (comprehensive) includes topics covered in the entire semester. Exams must be taken at the scheduled time and place. Missed exams cannot be made up.

Honor Code Statement

Please be familiar with the GMU Honor Code. Any deviation from this is considered an Honor Code violation. All assignments for this class are individual unless otherwise specified.


Textbooks

  Required: "Database Management Systems" 3rd Edition, by Ramakrishnan and Gehrke

Recommended: Oracle 10g Programming: A Primer by Sunderraman, Addison-Wesley, 2008

Topics
 
Ch.1: Overview of Database Systems
Ch.2: Introduction to Database Design
Ch.3: The Relational Model
Ch.4: Relational Algebra
Ch.5: SQL
Ch.8: Storage and Indexing
Ch.9:Storing Data: Disks and Files
Ch.10: Tree-Structured Indexing
Ch.11: Hash-Based Indexing
Ch.19: Schema Refinement and Normal Forms
Ch.26: Data Mining

Note: If time permits, more chapters will be added.



 Tentative Schedule 
  
No Dates Topics Slides Notes
1 8/31
9/2
Introduction (Ch. 1)
ER Model 1 (Ch. 2)
Intro
ER1
 
2 9/7
9/9
ER Model 2 (Ch. 2)
Relational Model 1 (Ch. 3) 
ER2
Relational Model 1

 
3 9/14
9/16
Relational Model 2 
Relational Algebra 1 (Sec 4.1-4.2)
Relational Model 2
Relational Algebra 1
 
 HW1 due
4 9/21
9/23
Relational Algebra 2 
Relational Algebra 3 
Relational Algebra 2
Relational Algebra 3

 
5 9/28
9/30
Relational Algebra 4 
SQL 1 (Sec 3.4, 5.1-5.5)
Relational Algebra 4
SQL 1 (modified on 10/1)
 
6 10/5
10/7
SQL 2
SQL 3
SQL 2
SQL 3
 HW2 due

7 10/12
10/14
No class
Midterm Review / SQL
SQL Review   
 
8 10/19
10/21
Midterm
Post-midterm Revew
   
9 10/26
10/28
Database Programming 1
Database Programming 2
DB Programming 1
DB Programming 2
 
 HW3 due
10 11/2
11/4
No class
Functional Dependencies 1 (Sec 19.1 - 19.3)

Normalization 1
 
11 11/9
11/11
Functional Dependencies 2
Decomposition and Normal Forms 1 (Sec 19.4-19.6)
 Normalization 2
Normalization 3
 Project Phase 1 due

12 11/16
11/18
Decomposition and Normal Forms 2
Decomposition and Normal Forms 3
Normalization 4
SQL Constraints
 
 Project Phase 2 & 3.1  due (11/18)
13 11/23
11/25
Decomposition and Normal Forms Review
No class
Normalization 5

 
 
14 11/30
12/2
Indexing 1
Indexing 2
Indexing 1
Indexing 2
 
 HW4 due
15 12/7
12/9
Indexing 3
Final Review
 
 Project due
16 12/14 Final Exam (1:30-4:15pm)