A nonkey attribute is also called a(n):
Group of answer choices
descriptor.
column.
address.
unimportant datum.
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is descriptor.
In the context of databases and relational models, a nonkey attribute refers to an attribute that does not participate in the primary key or any candidate key of a table. These are the attributes that are not essential for uniquely identifying a record in a table but may still provide useful information about the entity being described.
A descriptor is another term used for a nonkey attribute because it “describes” or provides additional information about the entity without being critical for uniquely identifying it. For example, in a table of employee data, attributes such as employee name, date of birth, or department could be considered nonkey attributes, as they add context but are not essential for distinguishing one employee from another (which would be handled by a primary key like an employee ID).
Other terms listed, like column, are incorrect because columns represent fields in a table, which can be key attributes or nonkey attributes. The term address might refer to a specific data point but is not a general term for nonkey attributes. Similarly, unimportant datum doesn’t accurately describe nonkey attributes, as many nonkey attributes hold significant value even though they aren’t part of the primary key.
In summary, a descriptor is a term used to indicate attributes that describe or provide extra context about the data, but are not necessary for identifying records uniquely.