This video contain

1. Course Structure P1 and P2
2. Examination Tips
3. Exam questions with answers



Database Systems 2

MS Access uses “objects" to help the user list and organize information, as well as prepare specially designed reports. When you create a database, Access offers you Tables, Queries, Forms, Reports, Macros, and Modules. Databases in Access are composed of many objects but the following are the major objects.

Tables
Queries
Forms
Reports

Together, these objects allow you to enter, store, analyze, and compile your data. Here is a summary of the major objects in an Access database;

Table
Table is an object that is used to define and store data. When you create a new table, Access asks you to define fields which is also known as column headings. Each field must have a unique name, and data type. Tables contain fields or columns that store different kinds of data, such as a name or an address, and records or rows that collect all the information about a particular instance of the subject, such as all the information about a customer or employee etc. You can define a primary key, one or more fields that have a unique value for each record, and one or more indexes on each table to help retrieve your data more quickly.

Query
An object that provides a custom view of data from one or more tables. Queries are a way of searching for and compiling data from one or more tables. Running a query is like asking a detailed question of your database. When you build a query in Access, you are defining specific search conditions to find exactly the data you want. In Access, you can use the graphical query by example facility or you can write Structured Query Language (SQL) statements to create your queries. You can define queries to Select, Update, Insert, or Delete data. You can also define queries that create new tables from data in one or more existing tables.

Form
Form is an object in a desktop database designed primarily for data input or display or for control of application execution. You use forms to customize the presentation of data that your application extracts from queries or tables. Forms are used for entering, modifying, and viewing records. The reason forms are used so often is that they are an easy way to guide people toward entering data correctly. When you enter information into a form in Access, the data goes exactly where the database designer wants it to go in one or more related tables.

Report
Report is an object in desktop databases designed for formatting, calculating, printing, and summarizing selected data. You can view a report on your screen before you print it. If forms are for input purposes, then reports are for output. Anything you plan to print deserves a report, whether it is a list of names and addresses, a financial summary for a period, or a set of mailing labels. Reports are useful because they allow you to present components of your database in an easy-to-read format. You can even customize a report's appearance to make it visually appealing. Access offers you the ability to create a report from any table or query.

Database System

Microsoft Access is a Database Management System (DBMS) from Microsoft that combines the relational Microsoft Jet Database Engine with a graphical user interface and software development tools. It is a member of the Microsoft Office suite of applications, included in the professional and higher editions.

Microsoft Access is just one part of Microsoft’s overall data management product strategy. It stores data in its own format based on the Access Jet Database Engine. Like relational databases, Microsoft Access also allows you to link related information easily. For example, customer and order data.

However, Access 2013 also complements other database products because it has several powerful connectivity features. It can also import or link directly to data stored in other applications and databases.

As its name implies, Access can work directly with data from other sources, including many popular PC database programs, with many SQL (Structured Query Language) databases on the desktop, on servers, on minicomputers, or on mainframes, and with data stored on Internet or intranet web servers.

Access can also understand and use a wide variety of other data formats, including many other database file structures. You can export data to and import data from word processing files, spreadsheets, or database files directly. Access can work with most popular databases that support the Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) standard, including SQL Server, Oracle, and DB2. Software developers can use Microsoft Access to develop application software.

Microsoft Access stores information which is called a database. To use MS Access, you will need to follow these four steps

− Database Creation
− Create your Microsoft Access database and specify what kind of data you will be storing. Data Input
− After your database is created, the data of every business day can be entered into the Access database.
Query − This is a fancy term to basically describe the process of retrieving information from the database. Report (optional) − Information from the database is organized in a nice presentation that can be printed in an Access Report. Architecture Access calls anything that can have a name an object. Within an Access desktop database, the main objects are tables, queries, forms, reports, macros, data macros, and modules. If you have worked with other database systems on desktop computers, you might have seen the term database used to refer to only those files in which you store data. But, in Access, a desktop database (.accdb) also includes all the major objects related to the stored data, including objects you define to automate the use of your data.

Pre-Release Material Session May/June 2017 with Solution

Pre Release Material  

Summer 2017 | O Levels | Computer Science 

  

In Preparation for the examination candidates should attempt the following practical tasks by writing and testing a program or programs. 

The Organizer of a senior citizens’ club has arranges outings for the members. For each of these outings a coach is hired, meals at a restaurant are reserved and tickets for the theater has booked. A program is required to work out the costs and provide a printed list showing everyone on the outing. 

Write and test a program for the club organizer. 

− Your program must include appropriate prompts for the entry of data. 

− Error message and other output need to be set out clearly.         

− All variables, constants and other identifiers must have meaningful names.

You will need to complete these three tasks. Each task must be fully tested. 

  Work out the total cost of the outing. 

TASK 1

The organizer finds out how many senior citizens are interested in the outing. The program for Task 1 works out the cost for the information. 

Number of people	Hire of couch	Cost of a meal	Cost of theater ticket
12 – 16	150	14.00	21.00
17 – 26	190	13.50	20.00
27 – 39	225	13.00	19.00

 

The minimum number of senior citizens needed for the outing to go ahead is 10; there cannot be more than 36 senior citizens on the outing. A minimum of two carers go on the outing. With an additional carer needed if more than 24 citizens go on the outing. Carers do not have to pay anything for the outing. Workout the total cost per person for the senior citizens.

Task 2  

  Record who is going on the outing and how much has been paid. 

Using your results from Task 1, record the names of the people on the outing and the amount they have paid; include the carers on the outing. If there are spare places on the coach then extra people can be added; they are charged the same price as the other citizens. Calculate the total amount of money collected. Print out the list of the people on the outing. 

Task 3  

  Identify the break-even point or profit that will be made on the outing. 

Show whether the outing has made a profit or has broken even using the estimated cost from the Task 1 and money collected from Task 2. 

  

Solution (Pseudo Code)

Task 1

INPUT “Enter numbers of senior citizens : ”, citizen

WHILE (citizen < 10 OR citizen > 36)

PRINT (“The minimum number is 10 and maximum number is 36.”)

INPUT (“Enter numbers of senior citizens :”), citizen

ENDWHILE

IF citizen > 24 THEN people = citizen + 3 

    ELSE People = citizen + 2

ENDIF

IF people >= 12 AND people <= 16 THEN CoachCost=150 total = 150 + (14.00 * people) + (21.00 * people) ENDIF

IF people >= 17 AND people <= 26 THEN CoachCost=190 total = 190 + (13.50 * people) + (20.00 * people) ENDIF

IF people >= 27 AND people <= 39 THEN CoachCost=225 total = 225 + (13.00 * people) + (19.00 * people) ENDIF

CostPerPerson = total/citizen

  

TASK 2

PRINT (“Extra people can be added; they will be charged the same as the senior citizens.”)

IF people >= 12 AND people <= 16 THEN seats = 16 – people ENDIF

IF people >= 17 AND people <= 26 THEN seats = 26 – people ENDIF

IF people >= 26 AND people <= 39 THEN seats = 39 – people ENDIF

ExtraAmount = CostPerPerson * seats

TotalAmount = total + ExtraAmount 

UpdatedPeople = people 

IF seats >= 1 THEN UpdatedPeople = people + seats

 PRINT (“seats available for ”, seats,” person(s), Enter Name and Amount for people will to go for outing”)

FOR d = c to UpdatedPeople

INTPUT (“Enter the name of person on the outing”) , name(d)

INTPUT (“Enter the amount paid by the person     ”) , amount(d)

                                 AmountPaid = AmountPaid + amount(d)

              NEXT

ENDIF

FOR c = 1 to UpdatedPeople

            PRINT (“The Citizens’ Name :”, name(c) ,” & the amount submitted :”, amount(c))

NEXT

Task 3

EstimatedCost = CoachCost+(UpdatedPeople*(MealCost+TicketCost))

Profit = AmountPaid – EstimatedCost

IF profit > 0 THEN PRINT (“ The Profit Gained : “, profit)

ELSE PRINT (“The Break Even Point Value : “,total)

Explanation

Task 3 is all about finding the profit by subtracting the expected cost calculated in task 1 with the total of amount paid in task 2. But we also have to carefully add the meal and ticket cost of extra people going on the outing in the expected cost, using formula : EstimatedCost = CoachCost + (people x (meal cost + ticket cost)) and then, Amount paid - Estimated Cost