Define database and list three business applications and five advantages over paper systems.

Here are the solutions to the questions from the image: --- Question 17 a) i) Define Database (2mks) A database is an organized collection of structured information, or data, typically stored electronically in a computer system. It is designed for efficient storage, retrieval, and management of data. a) ii) Give three areas where databases may be used in business (3mks) Customer Relationship Management (CRM)*: Storing customer details, purchase history, and interactions. Inventory Management*: Tracking stock levels, product information, and supplier details. Financial Accounting*: Managing transactions, ledgers, and financial records. Human Resources*: Storing employee information, payroll, and performance data. b) i) State five advantages that modern database systems have over paper-based systems (5mks) Reduced Data Redundancy*: Data is stored once, minimizing duplication. Improved Data Consistency*: Ensures that data is uniform and accurate across the system. Enhanced Data Security*: Provides mechanisms for access control and data protection. Easier Data Sharing*: Multiple users can access and share data concurrently. Faster Data Retrieval and Updates*: Allows quick searching, sorting, and modification of data. Better Data Integrity*: Enforces rules to maintain the quality and reliability of data. Reduced Storage Space*: Digital storage is more compact than physical paper records. Data Backup and Recovery*: Facilitates easy backup and restoration of data in case of loss. b) ii) STATE five major functions of DBMS in computerized information processing (5 mks) Data Definition*: Allows users to define the structure of the database, including data types, relationships, and constraints. Data Manipulation*: Provides tools for adding, deleting, modifying, and retrieving data from the database. Data Security and Integrity*: Manages user access, permissions, and ensures data accuracy and consistency through validation rules. Data Storage Management*: Handles the physical storage of data on disk and manages access to it. Data Backup and Recovery*: Provides utilities to create backups of the database and restore it in case of system failure or data loss. Concurrency Control*: Manages simultaneous access to the database by multiple users, preventing conflicts and ensuring data consistency. --- Question 18 a) Describe the octal number system (2mks) The octal number system is a base-8 number system, meaning it uses eight distinct digits (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) to represent numbers. Each position in an octal number represents a power of 8. b) Convert each of the following to the number system indicated: i) 111.101_2 to decimal (2 marks) To convert a binary number to decimal, multiply each digit by its corresponding power of 2. 111.101_2 = (1 × 2^2) + (1 × 2^1) + (1 × 2^0) + (1 × 2^-1) + (0 × 2^-2) + (1 × 2^-3) = (1 × 4) + (1 × 2) + (1 × 1) + (1 × 0.5) + (0 × 0.25) + (1 × 0.125) = 4 + 2 + 1 + 0.5 + 0 + 0.125 = 7 + 0.625 = 7.625_10 ii) 14.6875_10 to binary (2 marks) To convert a decimal number to binary, convert the integer and fractional parts separately. Integer part (14): Divide by 2 and collect remainders. 14 ÷ 2 = 7 R 0 7 ÷ 2 = 3 R 1 3 ÷ 2 = 1 R 1 1 ÷ 2 = 0 R 1 Reading remainders from bottom up: 1110_2 Fractional part (0.6875): Multiply by 2 and collect integer parts. 0.6875 × 2 = 1.375 → 1 0.375 × 2 = 0.75 → 0 0.75 × 2 = 1.5 → 1 0.5 × 2 = 1.0 → 1 Reading integer parts from top down: 0.1011_2 Combining the integer and fractional parts: 14.6875_10 = 1110.1011_2 c) Convert the number -17_10 into 8-bit i) Signed magnitude representation (2 marks) 1. Convert the absolute value to binary: 17_10 to binary: 17 ÷ 2 = 8 R 1 8 ÷ 2 = 4 R 0 4 ÷ 2 = 2 R 0 2 ÷ 2 = 1 R 0 1 ÷ 2 = 0 R 1 So, 17_10 = 10001_2. 2. Represent in 8-bit signed magnitude: In 8-bit signed magnitude, the leftmost bit (Most Significant Bit, MSB) is the sign bit (0 for positive, 1 for negative), and the remaining 7 bits represent the magnitude. The magnitude 10001_2 needs 5 bits. Padded to 7 bits, it becomes 0010001_2. Since the number is -17_10, the sign bit is 1. Therefore, the 8-bit signed magnitude representation of -17_10 is: Sign bit Magnitude (7 bits) 1 0010001 = 10010001_2