Normalizing a table

[racheliza79]

Hello,

I am a student trying to normalize this table, and my head is spinning! We are given a text to read, and from THAT text (having zero experience with databases) we have to figure out how to do this.

Luckily, I do understand the concept of normalizing a table. I read the text and it makes sense. I can follow along with the examples and say "OK...I get that!"

But when I have to do one on my own...I just can't makes heads or tails of it.

I'm not asking you to do my homework for me...but if you can give some advice or just some direction, I would greatly appreciate it!!

This is the table we have to normalize...

DRIVING LOG

Name
Employee ID Number
Date (Month, Day, Year)
Tractor ID Number
Trailer 1 ID Number
Trailer 2 ID Number
Trailer 3 ID Number
CoDriver Name
CoDriver Employee ID Number
Off Duty Start Time 1
Off Duty Stop Time 1
Off Duty Start Time 2
Off Duty Stop Time 2
Total Hours Off Duty
Sleeper Berth Start Time 1
Sleeper Berth Stop Time 1
Sleeper Berth Start Time 2
Sleeper Berth Stop Time 2
Total Hours Sleeper Berth
Driving Start Time 1
Driving Stop Time 1
Driving Start Time 2


Driving Stop Time 2
Total Hours Driving
On Duty (Not Driving) Start Time 1
On Duty (Not Driving) Stop Time 1
On Duty (Not Driving) Start Time 2
On Duty (Not Driving) Stop Time 2
Total Hours On Duty (Not Driving)
Odometer Start 1
Odometer Stop 1
Odometer Start 2
Odometer Stop 2
Total Miles Driving
Comments

Thanks again if you can just push me in the right direction!

[ajetrumpet]

google "database normalization" and check out the NORMAL FORMS that they talk about. all I see that's wrong with the table you've shown is that the TOTAL columns that are listed should not be there. calculations do not belong in tables. everything else actually should be there.

usually when people ask about normalization, they have more than one table. it really doesn't come into play until you have more than one table of data, but like I said already in your case, data needs to be eliminated.

[racheliza79]

Thanks for the advice. I actually have three tables to normalize, but I only listed the one above because it had me stumped. I'll keep doing some research!

[ajetrumpet]

Thanks for the advice. I actually have three tables to normalize, but I only listed the one above because it had me stumped. I'll keep doing some research!

good luck in school!