Question

Assume that in a relation, more than one attributes are eligible to be primary keys. Since there can only be 1 primary key, so what we will call the other key(s)?

• A. Foreign key
• B. Candidate key
• C. Composite key
• D. Super key

Hint:

Formula to remember:
\[ \text{Candidate Keys} = \text{Primary Key} + \text{Alternate Keys} \]
If alternate key is not in the options, the other eligible keys are simply Candidate Keys!

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
A Candidate Key is any set of attributes that can uniquely identify a record in a table. From the set of all candidate keys, one is chosen as the Primary Key.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The keys that were eligible but were not chosen as the primary key are still technically candidate keys (sometimes specifically referred to as "alternate keys" in database design, but "candidate key" remains the broader, correct category).

Step 3: Final Answer:
The other eligible keys are referred to as Candidate Keys.