This paper describes an algorithm called the Deduction Tracing Algorithm (DTA) which utilizes basic properties of functional dependencies from database systems and a modification of a tree search algorithm from artificial intelligence. The algorithm takes a set of functional dependencies, F, along with a specific functional dependency L → R as input and produces a list of functional dependencies from F that can be used to deduce L → R. The resulting algorithm is easily automated to provide relational database users with a tool for organizing their queries
