What do the first, second, and third normal forms (1NF, 2NF, 3NF) achieve in brief?

What do the first, second, and third normal forms (1NF, 2NF, 3NF) achieve in brief?

• A. 1NF Eliminates Repeating Groups; 2NF Eliminates Partial Dependencies; 3NF Eliminates Transitive Dependencies
• B. 1NF Eliminates Transitive Dependencies; 2NF Eliminates Repeating Groups; 3NF Eliminates Partial Dependencies
• C. 1NF Eliminates Repeating Groups; 2NF Eliminates Transitive Dependencies; 3NF Eliminates Partial Dependencies
• D. All Normal Forms Aim To Maximize Data Redundancy

Answer: (A)

Normal forms address how data is organized to reduce duplication and keep it consistent. First normal form makes sure every column has atomic values and there are no repeating groups in a row, so each row represents a single, indivisible fact. Second normal form builds on that by removing partial dependencies when a table uses a composite key, meaning every non-key attribute must depend on the whole key rather than just part of it. Third normal form goes further to remove transitive dependencies, so non-key attributes don’t depend on other non-key attributes; they should depend only on the primary key. In practical terms, this sequence keeps data from being duplicated across rows (1NF), avoids situations where part of a composite key determines some attributes (2NF), and eliminates cases where non-key attributes indirectly depend on the key through other non-key attributes (3NF).

Normal forms address how data is organized to reduce duplication and keep it consistent. First normal form makes sure every column has atomic values and there are no repeating groups in a row, so each row represents a single, indivisible fact. Second normal form builds on that by removing partial dependencies when a table uses a composite key, meaning every non-key attribute must depend on the whole key rather than just part of it. Third normal form goes further to remove transitive dependencies, so non-key attributes don’t depend on other non-key attributes; they should depend only on the primary key.

In practical terms, this sequence keeps data from being duplicated across rows (1NF), avoids situations where part of a composite key determines some attributes (2NF), and eliminates cases where non-key attributes indirectly depend on the key through other non-key attributes (3NF).