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What is the purpose of indexing in a database?
  • a)
    To improve data integrity
  • b)
    To ensure data consistency
  • c)
    To facilitate efficient data retrieval
  • d)
    To minimize data redundancy
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?
Verified Answer
What is the purpose of indexing in a database?a)To improve data integr...
Indexing helps in improving the efficiency of data retrieval operations by creating a data structure that allows for faster access to the data.
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What is the purpose of indexing in a database?a)To improve data integr...
Introduction:
Indexing is a crucial aspect of database management systems that aims to improve the efficiency and performance of data retrieval operations. It involves creating a separate data structure that allows the database management system to locate and access data more quickly. While there are several benefits of indexing, the primary purpose of indexing in a database is to facilitate efficient data retrieval.

Explanation:
1. What is indexing?
Indexing involves creating an additional data structure, known as an index, which contains a sorted copy of selected columns or fields from a database table. The index is organized in a way that enables fast searching and retrieval of data based on the values in the indexed columns.

2. How does indexing facilitate efficient data retrieval?
When a query is executed on a database table, the database management system can utilize the index to locate the desired data more quickly. Instead of scanning the entire table sequentially, the system can perform a binary search or other efficient algorithms on the index to identify the specific rows that match the query criteria. This significantly reduces the number of disk I/O operations required and improves the query execution time.

3. Key benefits of indexing:
- Improved query performance: Indexing helps in speeding up the execution of queries by reducing the amount of data that needs to be scanned. It allows the database management system to quickly locate the relevant rows based on the indexed columns, leading to faster response times.
- Reduced disk I/O: By utilizing indexes, the database management system can minimize the number of disk I/O operations needed to retrieve data. Instead of reading the entire table, it can directly access the specific rows through the index, resulting in reduced disk access times and improved overall system performance.
- Optimized sorting and grouping: Indexing can also enhance the performance of sorting and grouping operations in a database. By using indexes on the columns involved in sorting or grouping, the system can avoid expensive sorting operations and retrieve the data in the desired order more efficiently.
- Support for unique constraints: Indexing is essential for enforcing unique constraints in a database. By creating a unique index on a column or a combination of columns, the system ensures that duplicate values are not allowed, maintaining data integrity.

Conclusion:
In summary, the purpose of indexing in a database is to facilitate efficient data retrieval. By creating a separate data structure that allows for faster searching and access to data, indexing improves query performance, reduces disk I/O, optimizes sorting and grouping operations, and supports unique constraints. It plays a vital role in enhancing the overall performance and responsiveness of a database system.
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