What is a property of a relation in a database called?

The correct answer is that a property of a relation in a database is referred to as a column or attribute. In the context of a relational database, a relation is essentially a table, and each relation consists of rows and columns. The columns are the vertical divisions in a table that represent the various attributes of the data being held. Each column is defined by a specific data type and represents a field in the database.

Attributes are essential as they help define the characteristics of entities stored within the relation. For example, if you have a table representing employees, the columns might include EmployeeID, Name, and HireDate. Each of these columns describes a specific property or attribute of the employee entity.

The other terms refer to different concepts within a database. A tuple refers to a single row in a relation, representing a specific instance of data. A row, also known as a record, is synonymous with a tuple and contains all the attribute values for a particular entry in the table. An entity denotes a real-world object or concept represented in the database, which may consist of multiple attributes or properties. Understanding the distinction between these terms is crucial in grasping the fundamentals of database design.