Question

Data Precision and Data Scale in Oracle

Asked by: mawingho

Whenever you set the column to the number type in an Oracle database, then you have to set the data precision and scale, what are they and how they can affect the database?

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Asked On
2008-08-26 at 01:41:11ID23677752
Topics

Oracle 11.x Database

,

Oracle 9.x

,

Oracle 10.x

Participating Experts
2
Points
500
Comments
4

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Answers

 

by: sonicefuPosted on 2008-08-26 at 02:02:17ID: 22312714

NUMBER DATATYPE
-------------------------
    The NUMBER datatype is used to store zero, positive and negative
    fixed and floating point numbers with magnitudes between 1.0 x
    10
    digits of precision.  If you specify an arithmetic expression whose
    value has a magnitude greater than or equal to 1.0 x 10
    returns an error.  You can specify a fixed point number datatype
    with this syntax:
 
    NUMBER(p,s)
   -----------------
 
where:
 
p
    is the precision, or the total number of digits. Oracle guarantees
    the portability of numbers with precision ranging from 1 to 38.
s
    is the scale, or the number of digits to the right of the decimal
    point. The scale can range from -84 to 127.
 
=============>  You can also use one of these alternate forms:
 
NUMBER(p)
    is a fixed point number with precision p and scale 0.
 
NUMBER
    is a floating point number with precision 38.  Note that a scale
    value is not applicable for floating point numbers.
 
SCALE AND PRECISION
----------------------------
    Specify the scale and precision of a number column for extra
    integrity checking on input.  Specifying scale and precision does
    not force all values to a fixed length.  If a value exceeds the
    precision, Oracle returns an error.  If a value exceeds the scale,
    Oracle rounds it.
 


NEGATIVE SCALE
----------------------
    If the scale is negative, the actual data is rounded to the
    specified  number of places to the left of the decimal point. For
    example, a specification of (10,-2) means to round to hundreds.
 
SCALE GREATER THAN PRECISION
-------------------------------------------
    You can specify a scale that is greater than precision, although it
    is uncommon.  In this case, the precision specifies the maximum
    number of digits to the right of the decimal point.  As with all
    number datatypes, if the value exceeds the precision, Oracle returns
    an error.  If the value exceeds the scale, Oracle rounds the value.
    For example, a column defined as NUMBER(4,5) requires a zero for the
    first digit after the decimal point and rounds all values past the
    fifth digit after the decimal point.

 

by: sonicefuPosted on 2008-08-26 at 02:11:02ID: 22312748

These examples show how Oracle stores data using different precisions and scales.
 
Actual Data            Specified as            Stored as
-----------            ------------            ---------
7456123.89             NUMBER                  7456123.89
7456123.89             NUMBER (9)              7456124
7456123.89             NUMBER (9,2)            7456123.89
7456123.89             NUMBER (9,1)            7456123.9
7456123.8              NUMBER (6)              exceeds precision
7456123.8              NUMBER (15,1)           7456123.8
7456123.89             NUMBER (7,-2)           7456100
7456123.89             NUMBER(7,2)             exceeds precision

                                 --------------

The following examples show the effects of a scale greater than precision:
 
Actual Data            Specified as            Stored as
-----------            ------------            ---------
.01234                 NUMBER(4,5)             .01234
.00012                 NUMBER(4,5)             .00012
.000127                NUMBER(4,5)             .00013
.0000012               NUMBER(2,7)             .0000012
.00000123              NUMBER(2,7)             .0000012

 

by: sonicefuPosted on 2008-08-26 at 02:12:14ID: 22312752

 

by: sujith80Posted on 2008-08-26 at 02:17:47ID: 22312771

>> Whenever you set the column to the number type in an Oracle database, then you have to set the data precision and scale

Not necessarily, You can have a column as data type NUMBER. It assumes the maximum values.

Scale determies the maximum number of digits after the decimal point. P-S will be the maximum number of digits before the decimal point.
For example a column defined as NUMBER(5,2) can store the maximum value of 999.99 only.

  1* create table tbl1(val number(5,2))
SQL> /
 
Table created.
 
SQL> insert into tbl1 values(123.45);
 
1 row created.
 
SQL> insert into tbl1 values(1234.5);
insert into tbl1 values(1234.5)
                        *
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-01438: value larger than specified precision allowed for this column
 
 
SQL> insert into tbl1 values(12.345);
 
1 row created.
 
SQL> select * from tbl1;
 
       VAL
----------
    123.45
     12.35
 
SQL> 

                                              
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