The Use of Normal Multiplication Tables
for Information Storage and Retrieval
This paper describes a method for the organization and retrieval of attribute 
based information systems, using the normal multiplication table as a directory
for the information system.  Algorithms for the organization an
d retrieval of information are described.  This method is particularly
suitable for queries requesting a group of information items,
 all of which possess a particular set of attributes (and possibly
some other attributes as well).  Several examples are given; the
results with respect to the number of disk accesses and disk space
are compared to other common approaches.  Algorithms evaluating
the appropriateness of the above approach to a given information system
are described.  For a certain class of information systems,
the normal multiplication table method yields far more rapid retrieval
with a more economical space requirement than conventional systems.  
Moreover this method incorporates an improved modification of the inverted 
file technique.
CACM March, 1979
Motzkin, D.
