Answer: Prime attributes in DBMS are identified through primary key components and functional dependencies.
Understand Attribute Dependency
Identify the functional dependencies between attributes, understanding how changes in one attribute affect others.
Primary Key Identification
Look for attributes that form part of the primary key. Attributes in the primary key are inherently prime as they uniquely identify each record in the table.
Functional Dependency Analysis
Analyze the functional dependencies to find attributes that determine other attributes. Prime attributes are those that functionally determine all other attributes in a table.
Closure of Attributes
Use closure to find the set of attributes that can be determined by a given set. Prime attributes contribute to the closure of a set, ensuring no additional attributes can be added.
Minimal Superkeys
Identify minimal superkeys, which are sets of attributes that uniquely identify a record. Prime attributes are part of these minimal superkeys.
Normalization Process
During the normalization process, attributes that are part of candidate keys or superkeys, including the primary key, are prime attributes.