13.2 File organization and access

Question 1

Serial file organisation

Answer 1

method of file organisation in which records of data are physically stored in a file, one after another, in the order they were added to the file

Question 2

Sequential file organisation

Answer 2

a method of file organisation in which records of data are physically stored in a file, one after another, in a given order

Question 3

Random file organisation

Answer 3

a method of file organisation in which records of data are physically stored in a file in any available position; the location of any record in the file is found by using a hashing algorithm on the key field of a record

Question 4

Hashing algorithm (file access)

Answer 4

a mathematical formula used to perform a calculation on the key field of the record
the result of the calculation gives the address where the record should be found.

Question 5

File access

Answer 5

the method used to physically find a record in the file

Question 6

Sequential access

Answer 6

a method of file access in which records are searched one after another from the physical start of the file until the required record is
found.

Question 7

Direct access

Answer 7

a method of file access in which a record can be physically found in a file without physically reading other records