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Named Associations

publish date: 2026/06/08 08:10:22.234523 UTC

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In a UML class diagram, associations can be given names. What is the purpose of naming an association?

To mark the association as mandatory rather than optional

To give the reader an indication of the type of relationship that exists between the associated classes

To enforce the multiplicity constraint programmatically

To indicate the direction of data flow between the two classes

Correct Answer

To give the reader an indication of the type of relationship that exists between the associated classes

Explanation

Named associations give the reader an indication of the type of relationship that exists between the classes. For example, naming the association between Patient and General Practitioner as 'referred-by' indicates the nature of the relationship. Names are particularly useful in complex class diagrams like the Mentcare system where Patient is connected to many other classes.

Reference

Software Engineering, Ian Sommerville, 9th edition

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