North Carolina Test of Computer Skills

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Databases

• North Carolina Test of Computer Skills

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What Is A Database?

• A software program that helps manage and organize
  large collections of information
• A database is similar to a filing cabinet
• Examples of databases
• Telephone book organized alphabetically by last
  name
• Dictionary organized alphabetically
• Card catalog can be organized by book title,
  authors last name, publication date, or subject

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Uses Of Databases

• Schools
• Maintain student records
• Student name, address, phone number,
  parent/guardian names, birthday, grade level,
  class schedule
• Businesses
• Maintain inventory
• Number of products in stock, model numbers,
  serial numbers, cost of products
• Medical Offices
• Maintain patient records schedules
• Patient name, address, phone number, birthday,
  previous visits, medical diagnosis

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Advantages Of Databases

• Records can be sorted easily
• Sorted alphabetically, from highest to lowest,
  cheapest to most expensive
• Records can be editing easily
• Make changes as needed
• Records can be searched easily
• Search for a specific record given specific
  relationships
• Search for all products that cost more than 200
• Search for all students in the 9th grade AND on
  the A/B honor roll

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Database Terms

• File
• a set of related records in a database
• Record
• A collection of related fields
• Field
• A category of information
• Entry
• Data entered into a field

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Database Terms

• Sort
• Arranging data in a specificorder
• Sort alphabetically
• Sort youngest to oldest
• Sort most expensive to cheapest
• Two Ways to Sort
• Ascending A to Z order, 1-10, smallest to
  largest
• Descending Z to A order, 10-1, largest to
  smallest

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Database Terms

• Search or Filter
• Finding records that meet specific criteria
• Find all records of students in 10th grade
• Find all records of books by the author Alice
  Walker
• Use mathematical operators to indicate
  relationships
• Equal to
• Greater than (more than, over)
• Less than
• Greater than or equal to (at least)
• Less than or equal to