If you want to see all the tables in a database, you run the non-SQL command "SHOW TABLES" at the "mysql" prompt. See the following tutorial exercise for example:
>cd mysqlbin
>mysql -u root test
Welcome to the MySQL monitor. Commands end with ; or g.
Your MySQL connection id is 14 to server version: 5.0.24
mysql> SHOW TABLES; +----------------+
| WB_Test |
+----------------+
| EMP_List |
+----------------+
1 row in set (0.01 sec)
The output shows you that there is only one table in the "test" database.