The Third Normal Form (3NF) is a database normalization rule established by EF Codd, which requires that a table must first be in Second Normal Form (2NF). The critical condition for 3NF is the absence of transitive dependency among attributes. Transitive dependency occurs when a non-prime attribute depends on another non-prime attribute instead of solely on the candidate key. To illustrate this, consider a student table with attributes like roll number, state, and city. The roll number serves as the candidate key. Here, the functional dependency indicates that the roll number determines the state, and the state determines the city. This reveals a transitive dependency because the city is dependent on the state, which is itself a non-prime attribute. In a properly normalized table, all non-prime attributes must be functionally dependent only on the primary key (the candidate key), not on another non-prime attribute. Therefore, for a table to satisfy 3NF, one must first ensure it meets the requirements of 2NF and eliminate any transitive dependencies involving non-prime attributes. Proper adherence to this principle avoids data anomalies and ensures that each non-prime attribute is solely determined by the candidate key.