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.

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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.

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Structured lessons

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

Topic information

MySQL Numeric Data Types

Learning Objectives

Introduction

Recommended Next Topics

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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

Key Takeaways

Summary

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?

ENUM and SET

Data Type Selection

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