The closure of a functional dependency is a set of attributes or columns in a database table, that are functionally dependent on a given set of attributes or columns. The closure of a functional dependency is used to determine and analyze the relationships and the constraints between the attributes or columns in a table, and to understand the functional dependencies in a database.
To find the closure of a functional dependency, you can follow the following steps:
- Identify the set of attributes or columns that form the functional dependency. This set is called the determinant set, and it determines the value of the other set of attributes or columns.
- Identify the set of attributes or columns that are functionally dependent on the determinant set. This set is called the dependent set, and it is determined by the value of the determinant set.
- Identify the functional dependencies that exist between the attributes or columns in the table. These dependencies may be full, partial, transitive, or multivalued dependencies, depending on the characteristics and the properties of the attributes or columns involved in the dependency.
- Analyze and evaluate the functional dependencies that exist between the attributes or columns in the table, and determine the attributes or columns that are functionally dependent on the determinant set. These attributes or columns are part of the closure of the functional dependency.
- Repeat the above steps for each attribute or column that is part of the closure of the functional dependency, until you have identified all the attributes or columns that are functionally dependent on the determinant set.
For example, consider a table called “Customers” with the following attributes: “Customer ID”, “Name”, “Address”, “Phone”, and “Email”. The functional dependencies in this table may be represented as follows:
- Customer ID -> Name, Address, Phone, Email
- Phone -> Address
- Address -> Customer ID, Name, Phone, Email
To find the closure of the functional dependency {Customer ID -> Name, Address, Phone, Email}, you can follow the steps outlined above. First, you identify the determinant set {Customer ID} and the dependent set {Name, Address, Phone, Email}. Then, you analyze and evaluate the functional dependencies that exist between the attributes or columns in the table, and determine the attributes or columns that are functionally dependent on the determinant set {Customer ID}.
In this case, you can determine that the attributes {Name, Address, Phone, Email} are functionally dependent on the determinant set {Customer ID}, and they are part of the closure of the functional dependency {Customer ID -> Name, Address, Phone, Email}.
You can repeat the above steps for each attribute or column that is part of the closure of the functional dependency, until you have identified all the attributes or columns that are functionally dependent on the determinant set. This process helps you to understand and analyze the functional dependencies in a database, and to determine the closure of a functional dependency.