What is the difference between signed and unsigned integers in MySQL?

Signed integers can store both negative and positive values, while unsigned integers store only non-negative values, effectively doubling the positive range.

Why use DECIMAL instead of FLOAT for monetary values?

DECIMAL stores exact numeric values without rounding errors, making it suitable for financial data, unlike FLOAT which can introduce precision issues.

How much storage does an INT type use in MySQL?

An INT uses 4 bytes of storage and can store values from -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647 signed, or 0 to 4,294,967,295 unsigned.

Topic 2924 min readStructured Tutorial

MySQL Numeric Data Types

Quick Answer

MySQL numeric data types include integers (TINYINT, SMALLINT, MEDIUMINT, INT, BIGINT) and floating-point types (FLOAT, DOUBLE, DECIMAL). Choosing the right type depends on the range and precision needed, which optimizes storage and query performance.

Learning Objectives

Identify the different numeric data types in MySQL and their storage requirements.
Understand the range and precision of integer and floating-point types.
Learn when to use DECIMAL versus FLOAT or DOUBLE for exact numeric values.

Introduction

Numeric data types in MySQL are essential for storing numbers efficiently and accurately.

Understanding these types helps you design databases that optimize storage and maintain data integrity.

Choosing the right data type is key to efficient database design.

Course Progress0%

Was this topic helpful?

Your feedback helps us improve this lesson.

Topic information

Author

RPATechnology Team

Last Updated

June 2026

Suggested learning path

Related Courses

Continue learning with related technologies and tracks.

Programming LanguagesBeginner FriendlyCareer Focused

C# Programming Course for Beginners to Advanced | Learn C# and .NET

Master C# programming with a complete beginner-to-advanced course covering OOP, collections, LINQ, async programming, Entity Framework Core, ASP.NET Core, Web APIs, design patterns, and real-world projects.

Structured lessons

View Course

Type	Storage Size	Signed Range	Unsigned Range
TINYINT	1 byte	-128 to 127	0 to 255
SMALLINT	2 bytes	-32,768 to 32,767	0 to 65,535
MEDIUMINT	3 bytes	-8,388,608 to 8,388,607	0 to 16,777,215
INT	4 bytes	-2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647	0 to 4,294,967,295
BIGINT	8 bytes	-9,223,372,036,854,775,808 to 9,223,372,036,854,775,807	0 to 18,446,744,073,709,551,615

Type	Storage Size	Precision	Use Case
FLOAT	4 bytes	Approx. 7 digits	Less precise calculations
DOUBLE	8 bytes	Approx. 15 digits	More precise calculations

Learning Objectives

Introduction

Was this topic helpful?

Topic information

Recommended Next Topics

String Data Types

Date and Time Types

Boolean Data Types

JSON Data Type

Related Topics

Related Courses

C# Programming Course for Beginners to Advanced | Learn C# and .NET

Integer Data Types

Floating-Point Data Types

The DECIMAL Data Type

Choosing the Right Numeric Data Type

Practical Example

Examples

Best Practices

Common Mistakes

Hands-on Exercise

Identify Numeric Types for a Use Case

Interview Questions

What is the difference between FLOAT and DECIMAL in MySQL?

When should you use BIGINT instead of INT?

What does the UNSIGNED attribute do for numeric types?

MCQ Quiz

1. Which MySQL numeric data type should you use to store whole numbers that range from -128 to 127?

2. What is a key difference between FLOAT and DECIMAL data types in MySQL?

3. If you need to store a monetary value with two decimal places and require exact precision, which MySQL data type is most suitable?

4. Which integer type would you choose to optimize storage for a column that only needs to store values from 0 to 65,535?

5. Why might you avoid using FLOAT or DOUBLE for financial calculations in MySQL?

Key Takeaways

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between signed and unsigned integers in MySQL?

Why use DECIMAL instead of FLOAT for monetary values?

How much storage does an INT type use in MySQL?

Summary

ENUM and SET

Data Type Selection

Java Programming Course for Developers and Interview Success | RPATechnology.in

Complete JavaScript Tutorial for Beginners to Advanced | JavaScript Programming Course

Complete MongoDB Tutorial for Beginners to Advanced | MongoDB Course

Complete Python Tutorial for Beginners to Advanced | Python Programming Course

Complete React.js Tutorial for Beginners to Advanced | React Course