Question:medium

In a relational data model, which one of the following statements is TRUE?

Show Hint

A relation with only two attributes will always satisfy the BCNF condition as there are fewer possibilities for violating the condition.
Updated On: Jan 30, 2026
  • A relation with only two attributes is always in BCNF.
  • If all attributes of a relation are prime attributes, then the relation is in BCNF.
  • Every relation has at least one non-prime attribute.
  • BCNF decompositions preserve functional dependencies.
Show Solution

The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

Let us examine each option using standard results from database normalization and BCNF.

Option (A) – True:
Any relation with only two attributes is always in BCNF. This is because any non-trivial functional dependency between two attributes will necessarily have one attribute determining the other, making the determinant a candidate key. Hence, the BCNF condition (every determinant is a superkey) is automatically satisfied. Therefore, option (A) is true.

Option (B) – False:
Having all attributes as prime attributes does not guarantee that a relation is in BCNF. BCNF requires that for every non-trivial functional dependency \( X \rightarrow Y \), the set \( X \) must be a superkey. Even if all attributes are prime, a functional dependency may still violate BCNF if the determinant is not a superkey. Hence, this statement is false.

Option (C) – False:
It is not necessary for every relation to have at least one non-prime attribute. If all attributes of a relation participate in some candidate key, then all attributes are prime. Such relations do exist. Therefore, this statement is false.

Option (D) – False:
Although BCNF decomposition always guarantees a lossless-join decomposition, it does not necessarily preserve all functional dependencies. There are well-known cases where decomposing a relation into BCNF results in the loss of some dependencies. Hence, this statement is false.

Final Answer: (A)
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