MODELING THE MANY-TO-MANY RELATIONSHIP USING MULTI-VALUED FOREIGN KEYS

Abstract

Modeling the many-to-many relationship in database design has been an important topic in traditional database textbooks for many years. Using these textbooks, database, instructors are able to teach students the correct approach, but it is difficult to explain the reasoning behind the algorithms and rules. This paper introduces a new way of teaching M:N relationships and their mapping from the entity-relationship model to the relational data model using multi-valued foreign keys. The aim is to provide a complementary approach to traditional ways of teaching the M:N relationship. We first describe a case scenario that we will use to describe our new approach. Secondly, we introduce a new way of mapping the M:N case to the relational model using multi-valued foreign key attributes. Finally we present some teaching techniques for enhancing students’ understanding of the M:N relationship.