DBMS — Quick Reference Cheatsheet
Essential Formulas & Rules
Core Topics
ER Diagrams & Database Design:
Key formula/rule: See fundamentals section for complete derivation
When to apply: When the problem mentions keywords related to er diagrams & database design
Relational Model & SQL:
Key formula/rule: See fundamentals section for complete derivation
When to apply: When the problem mentions keywords related to relational model & sql
Normalization (1NF-BCNF):
Key formula/rule: See fundamentals section for complete derivation
When to apply: When the problem mentions keywords related to normalization (1nf-bcnf)
Transaction Management (ACID):
Key formula/rule: See fundamentals section for complete derivation
When to apply: When the problem mentions keywords related to transaction management (acid)
Concurrency Control:
Key formula/rule: See fundamentals section for complete derivation
When to apply: When the problem mentions keywords related to concurrency control
Indexing & B+ Trees:
Key formula/rule: See fundamentals section for complete derivation
When to apply: When the problem mentions keywords related to indexing & b+ trees
Problem-Solving Templates
Template 1: Identify → Apply → Verify
Template 2: For MCQs
Most Common Question Types
| Type | What to Do | Time Budget |
|---|
|---|---|---|
| Direct formula | Apply formula directly | 30-60 sec |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-step | Break into steps, apply each | 1-2 min |
| Concept-based | Recall definition + example | 45 sec |
| Data interpretation | Extract data, compute | 2-3 min |
Revision Strategy
1 month before exam:
1 week before:
1 day before:
Labs Section
The Labs section for DBMS has: