easyMultiple Choice
FC0-U71 Practice Question: A database table contains repeating groups of…
A database table contains repeating groups of fields for multiple phone numbers per customer. Which normal form is being violated?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the misconception that repeating groups are a violation of Second or Third Normal Form, but the trap is that repeating groups are the defining characteristic of a First Normal Form violation, not a higher normal form.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
First Normal Form
First Normal Form (1NF) requires that each column in a table contains atomic (indivisible) values and that there are no repeating groups of columns. Storing multiple phone numbers per customer in a single row, such as Phone1, Phone2, Phone3, violates 1NF because it creates a repeating group of fields. To comply with 1NF, the phone numbers should be stored in a separate child table with one row per phone number per customer.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Second Normal Form
Why it's wrong here
Second Normal Form addresses partial dependencies on part of a composite primary key, not repeating groups of multi-valued attributes. It is tempting because 2NF is the next step after 1NF, and it would be the correct answer if a non-key attribute depended on only one column of a composite key.
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Third Normal Form
Why it's wrong here
Third Normal Form concerns transitive dependencies between non-key attributes, not repeating groups of values within a column. It is tempting because 3NF is the commonly cited target for transactional schemas, and it would be the correct answer if a non-key field depended on another non-key field rather than on the primary key.
- ✓
First Normal Form
Why this is correct
Storing multiple phone numbers in one column creates a repeating group within a single attribute, which First Normal Form forbids. Atomic, single-valued columns are the 1NF requirement, so the design violates 1NF before second or third normal form is even considered.
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No violation
Why it's wrong here
Storing multiple phone numbers in repeating groups within one table breaches First Normal Form, so a violation plainly exists. It is tempting when the table still has a primary key and no obvious duplicate rows, and it would be correct only if each attribute held a single atomic value per row with no repeating groups.
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