hardMultiple Select
FC0-U71 Practice Question: Which THREE of the following are characteristics…
Which THREE of the following are characteristics of a relational database?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse the flexible, schema-less nature of NoSQL databases with the rigid, table-based structure of relational databases, leading them to incorrectly select Option A or D.
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
✓
Data is stored in tables with rows and columns
Option B is correct because a relational database organizes data into relations (tables) composed of tuples (rows) and attributes (columns), which is the defining structural characteristic of the relational model. Option C is correct because relational databases are queried and manipulated using SQL, the standard declarative language for defining schemas (DDL) and retrieving/modifying data (DML). Option E is correct because referential integrity is enforced through foreign keys, which constrain a column's values to match primary key values in a referenced table, preventing orphaned records. Option A does not belong because schema-less, flexible design describes NoSQL databases such as MongoDB, not relational systems, which require a predefined schema. Option D does not belong because a document-based JSON model is characteristic of document stores like CouchDB or MongoDB, not relational databases, which use normalized tables rather than embedded documents.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Schema-less design allows flexible data structures
Why it's wrong here
Relational databases enforce a fixed schema defined by CREATE TABLE, with typed columns and constraints; schema-less flexibility describes NoSQL key-value or document stores. It tempts because schemas can be altered by migration, but that is a controlled change, not an absent schema.
- ✓
Data is stored in tables with rows and columns
Why this is correct
Relational databases organise data into tables comprising rows and columns, where each row represents a record and each column a defined attribute. This tabular structure, with a fixed schema, satisfies the stem's requirement by directly matching a defining characteristic of the relational model.
- ✓
Uses Structured Query Language (SQL) for queries
Why this is correct
SQL is the standard declarative language for defining, querying and manipulating data in relational systems. Its use is a defining relational characteristic, distinguishing these databases from non-relational stores that rely on APIs or proprietary query methods.
- ✗
Uses a document-based model like JSON
Why it's wrong here
Relational databases store data in tables with rows and columns, normalised via primary and foreign keys; JSON documents belong to NoSQL document stores such as MongoDB. It tempts because modern relational engines add JSON column types, yet the underlying model remains tabular.
- ✓
Enforces referential integrity through foreign keys
Why this is correct
Foreign keys enforce referential integrity by ensuring a value in one table matches an existing primary key value in another, preventing orphaned records. This constraint mechanism is fundamental to the relational model and absent from most non-relational databases.
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