Question: You're exploring a database and you find some sample data in two tables: courseNum credits textbookTitle author COP4710 4 Database Systems Jones COP4711 4 Database

You're exploring a database and you find some sample data in two tables:

courseNum credits textbookTitle author
COP4710 4 Database Systems Jones
COP4711 4 Database Systems Jones
COP4720 4 Data Algorithms Jones
MAT1001 3 College Algebra Watson
MAT1002 4 College Algebra Watson
ENG4267 4 Materials Smith
ENG4280 3 Materials Smith

Textbook

title author qty price
Database Systems Jones 10 125.99
Data Algorithms Jones 6 75.50
College Algebra Watson 21 60.00
Materials Smith 9 74.25
Materials Edwards 3 99.99

The Textbook table uses a natural key, the combination of title and author.

The same combination of columns is in the Course table where its a foreign key.

(a) Since (title, author) is the primary key of Textbook and a foreign key in Course, is the repeated paring of title and author in the Course table a redundancy?

(b) If the Textbook table had a surrogate key instead of a natural one, do you think it would improve the Course table, or would it make no difference?

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