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chaPter 8 • analyzing systems Using Data Dictionaries 231

TO CALCULATE = TOTAL COST OF ALL TOURS, ANY APPLICABLE N.Y. STATE TAX,
minus any RESERVATION DEPOSITS made.
a. Is this truly a data element? Why or why not?
b. Rewrite the data dictionary entry for TOURIST PAYMENT, reclassifying it if necessary. Use the
proper form for the classification you choose.
2. Sue Kong, the systems analyst, has made significant progress in understanding the data movement at
Shanghai Megabank. To share what she has done with other members of her team as well as the head
of regional operations, she is composing a data dictionary.
a. Write an entry in Sue’s data dictionary for three of the data flows in regional banking. Be as com-
plete as possible.
b. Write an entry in Sue’s data dictionary for three of the data stores in regional banking. Be as com-
plete as possible.
3. Jorge Alvarez, the manager of the bookstore that your systems analysis team has been working with
to build a computerized inventory system, thinks that one of your team members is making a nui-
sance of himself by asking him extremely detailed questions about data items used in the system. For
example, he asks, “Jorge, how much space, in characters, does the listing of an ISBN take?”
a. What are the problems created by going directly to the manager with questions concerning data
dictionary entries? Use a paragraph to list the problems you can see with your team member’s
approach.
b. In a paragraph, explain to your team member how he can better gather information for the data
dictionary.
4. Michael Bush owns a store that specializes in travel gear and clothes. Manufacturers have their own
coding, but there are many manufacturers. Set up data elements for six different travel hats from three
different suppliers.
5. Michael (from Problem 4) also assembles packages of camping kits. Each kit is a group of separate
products that are sold as a package. Each package (called a PRODUCT) is built using many parts,
which vary from product to product. Interviews with the head parts clerk have resulted in a list of ele-
ments for the PRODUCT PART web page, showing which parts are used in the manufacture of each
product. A prototype of the PRODUCT-PART web page is illustrated in Figure 8.EX1. Create a data
structure dictionary entry for the PRODUCT-PART.
6. Analyze the elements found on the PRODUCT-PART web page and create the data structure for the
PRODUCT MASTER and the PART MASTER data stores.
7. Which of the elements on the PRODUCT-PART web page are derived elements?
8. The Pacific Holiday Company arranges cruise vacations of varying lengths at several locations. When
customers call to check on the availability of a cruise, a CRUISE AVAILABILITY INQUIRY, illus-
trated in Figure 8.EX2, is used to supply them with information. Create the data dictionary structure
for the CRUISE AVAILABILITY INQUIRY.
9. List the master files that would be necessary to implement the CRUISE AVAILABILITY INQUIRY.

Figure 8.eX1
A prototype of the PRODUCT-
PART web page.