Make Learning Stick

The BA learns that an Owner may prefer certain Maintenance Providers and that the business domain takes the Owner’s preferences into account when responding to maintenance needs. Which of the following best describes the change(s) the BA should make to the ERD?

1. New relationship between Maintenance Provider and Owner
2. New associative entity between Maintenance Provider and Owner
3. New attributive entity for Owner called Provider Preference
4. New attributes for Owner and Maintenance Provider
5. No changes to ERD required for this discovery

You Answered: C
Correct Answer: B

This new discovery reveals a new relationship: “Each Owner prefers zero to many Maintenance Providers; each Maintenance Provider is preferred by zero to many Owners.” Because the relationship is many-to-many, an associative entity is required to resolve the many-to-many relationship.