Question

In the context of schema normalization in relational DBMS, consider a set F of functional dependencies. The set of all functional dependencies implied by F is called the closure of F. To compute the closure of F, Armstrong's Axioms can be applied. Consider X,Y,X, Y, and ZZ as sets of attributes over a relational schema. The three rules of Armstrong's Axioms are described as follows.

Reflexivity: If Y⊆XY \subseteq X, then X→YX \rightarrow Y
Augmentation: If X→YX \rightarrow Y, then XZ→YZXZ \rightarrow YZ for any ZZ
Transitivity: If X→YX \rightarrow Y and Y→ZY \rightarrow Z, then X→ZX \rightarrow Z

The additional rule of Union is defined as follows.
Union: If X→YX \rightarrow Y and X→ZX \rightarrow Z, then X→YZX \rightarrow YZ

It can be proved that the additional rule of Union is also implied by the three rules of Armstrong's Axioms. Listed below are four combinations of these three rules. Which one of these combinations is both necessary and sufficient for the proof?

Choose one option
Official answer and solution
Official answer
D
From
Official GATE 2026 answer key

Solution

Derive X→YZX \rightarrow YZ from X→YX \rightarrow Y and X→ZX \rightarrow Z using Armstrong's axioms.

Given X→YX \rightarrow Y and X→ZX \rightarrow Z:

  1. Augment X→YX \rightarrow Y with XX: XX→XYXX \rightarrow XY, which is X→XYX \rightarrow XY.
  2. Augment X→ZX \rightarrow Z with YY: XY→YZXY \rightarrow YZ.
  3. Apply Transitivity to X→XYX \rightarrow XY and XY→YZXY \rightarrow YZ: we obtain X→YZX \rightarrow YZ.

Only Augmentation and Transitivity are used (Reflexivity is not needed), and neither Augmentation alone nor Transitivity alone can derive Union.

Final answer

Option (D)

Common trap

Including Reflexivity when XX=XXX = X is a set identity, not an application of the Reflexivity axiom.

The answer is the one in the official GATE answer key. The solution is this site's own explanation.

Source

Paper
GATE 2026 Computer Science and Information Technology - Session 2 (CS2)
Question
42 of 65
Section
Computer Science and Information Technology

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