Data integrity characteristic: correctness

Name:

Date:

Class:

Quick Questions

Shade in the A or B circle for each question.

1. A student enters 'twenty' into a field that only accepts whole numbers. Which integrity characteristic is this breaking?

A Timeliness: the data is out of date

B Correctness: the data is not the right data type

2. Which statement best describes correct data?

A It is in the right form and follows the rules set for it

B It always matches the real-world value exactly

3. A date field must use DD/MM/YYYY. Which entry is correct?

A 14/03/2025

B March 14th, 2025

4. A rule says student year level must be between 7 and 12. Which value is a valid value?

A 10

B 15

5. An invoice total is calculated as price + quantity instead of price x quantity. What is the problem?

A The data type is wrong, so the data is out of date

B The calculation is wrong, so the data is not correct

Match the Pairs

Draw a line connecting each item on the left to its match on the right.

Left column		Right column
1Age = "twenty" in a number field		AThe value contains letters, so it is not in the right format for a phone number. This is a correctness error.
2Date of birth entered as 31/02/2005		BTotal = Price * Quantity
3A correct calculation follows the rule set for it, such as total = price * quantity		CThis is an accuracy error, not a correctness error. The mark is valid and in the right form but does not match the real value.
4Valid values must fall within the allowed range set for a field		DIncorrect data: the value is text, so it is the wrong data type for an Age field
5Phone number field contains: 04AB 123 4X6		EIncorrect data: the date breaks the rules because February has no 31st, so it is not a valid value
6A record has the right format but the wrong value, e.g. Maths mark 82 typed when the real mark was 28		FIF Mark >= 0 AND Mark <= 100 THEN valid

Definitions

Correctness

Fill in the Blanks

Complete each line of code by filling in the missing parts.

=IF(________(B2),"Correct type","Wrong type")

=IF(B2__0,"Valid","Invalid")

=C2_D2

IF age < 0 __ age > 120 THEN DISPLAY "Invalid age" END IF

=IF(___(A2)=4,"Valid","Invalid")

Spot the Error

Shade in the letter of the line that contains an error.

Question 1

A age ← INPUT()

B IF age is a whole number THEN

C REJECT age

D ELSE

E REJECT age

Question 2

A RULE date format = MM-DD-YY

B dob ← '15/03/2008'

C OUTPUT dob

Question 3

A RULE mark is between 0 and 100

B IF mark >= 0 OR mark <= 100

C ACCEPT mark

Question 4

A maths ← 80

B english ← 70

C avg ← maths + english / 2

D OUTPUT avg

Question 5

A price ← 50

B qty ← 3

C subtotal ← price * qty

D total ← subtotal + 1.10

E OUTPUT total

Answer Key

Data integrity characteristic: correctness

Section A: Quick Questions

B — Correctness: the data is not the right data type

A — It is in the right form and follows the rules set for it

A — 14/03/2025

A — 10

B — The calculation is wrong, so the data is not correct

Section B: Match the Pairs

Age = "twenty" in a number field → Incorrect data: the value is text, so it is the wrong data type for an Age field

Date of birth entered as 31/02/2005 → Incorrect data: the date breaks the rules because February has no 31st, so it is not a valid value

A correct calculation follows the rule set for it, such as total = price * quantity → Total = Price * Quantity

Valid values must fall within the allowed range set for a field → IF Mark >= 0 AND Mark <= 100 THEN valid

Phone number field contains: 04AB 123 4X6 → The value contains letters, so it is not in the right format for a phone number. This is a correctness error.

A record has the right format but the wrong value, e.g. Maths mark 82 typed when the real mark was 28 → This is an accuracy error, not a correctness error. The mark is valid and in the right form but does not match the real value.

Section C: Definitions

Correctness — Data is correct when it is in the right form and follows set rules, such as the right data type, format, valid values and calculation. It is not the same as accuracy.

Section D: Fill in the Blanks

=IF(ISNUMBER(B2),"Correct type","Wrong type")

=IF(B2>=0,"Valid","Invalid")

=C2*D2

IF age < 0 OR age > 120 THEN
  DISPLAY "Invalid age"
END IF

=IF(LEN(A2)=4,"Valid","Invalid")

Section E: Spot the Error

C — A whole number is the correct data type for age, so it should be accepted. The ELSE branch is where wrong types are rejected. Line 3 should be ACCEPT age.

A — The rule must set the format the data follows. The value 15/03/2008 is in DD/MM/YYYY form, so the rule should be DD/MM/YYYY.

B — A valid mark must be at least 0 AND at most 100. OR is true for any number, so invalid values like 150 or -5 would pass. It should use AND.

C — Without brackets, division happens before addition, so only english is divided by 2. The calculation is incorrect. It should be (maths + english) / 2.

D — Adding 10% GST means multiplying the subtotal by 1.10. Adding 1.10 gives the wrong calculation. It should be subtotal * 1.10.