Daily New Tricks — SQL Edition #3

REAL Datatype

Generated by DALL-E

In SQL, the REAL data type is a single-precision floating-point number. It is used to store approximate numeric values that have a decimal component. The REAL data type is similar to the FLOAT data type, but it has a larger range and a slightly larger precision.

Here is an example of how the REAL data type can be used in a CREATE TABLE statement in SQL:

CREATE TABLE MyTable (
  id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
  value REAL
);

In this example, the value column is of type REAL and can be used to store single-precision floating-point numbers.

Here are some example use cases where the REAL data type might be particularly useful:

• Storing financial data: The REAL data type is well-suited for storing financial data, such as currency values, because it can represent decimal values with a reasonable level of precision. For example, you might use the REAL data type to store the prices of products in an e-commerce database.
• Storing scientific data: The REAL data type is often used to store scientific data, such as measurements or calculations, because it can represent a wide range of numeric values with a reasonable level of precision. For example, you might use the REAL data type to store the results of experiments or simulations in a scientific database.
• Storing statistical data: The REAL data type is useful for storing statistical data, such as averages or standard deviations, because it can represent decimal values with a reasonable level of precision. For example, you might use the REAL data type to store statistical data in a data warehouse or business intelligence database.

In general, the REAL data type is a good choice when you need to store approximate numeric values that have a decimal component and you don't need a high level of precision. If you need a higher level of precision, you might consider using the DOUBLE PRECISION data type instead.