Closure via Functional Dependence Simplification - special issue CMMSE 2010

A method for computing the closure of a set of attributes according to a specification of Functional Dependencies of the relational model is shown. The main feature of this method is that it computes the closure using solely the inference system of the SLFD logic. For the first time, FD Logic is used in the design of automated deduction methods to solve the closure problem. The strong link between SLFD logic and the closure algorithm is presented and an SLFD simplification paradigm emerges as the key element of our method. In addition, the soundness and completeness of the closure algorithm is shown. Our method has the same complexity, in the worst case, as the classical closure algorithms and it has all the advantages provided by the use of logic. We have also empirically compared our algorithm with the Diederich and Milton classical algorithm. This experiment reveals the best behavior of our method which shows a significant improvement in the average speed.