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Exact and Approximate
56 posts, Page 2 of 6
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Exact and Approximate
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Paul White
Paul White
Posted Tuesday, January 03, 2012 4:01 AM
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No worries Hugo, though I am a little depressed that the values I chose don't make the difference easier to spot - it really wasn't my intention for this question to be a test of reading skills
Paul White
SQL Server MVP
SQLblog.com
@SQL_Kiwi
Post #1229131
Brigadur
Brigadur
Posted Tuesday, January 03, 2012 4:07 AM
Mr or Mrs. 500
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Good question!
The following discussion is making it even better. We should be careful when using exact numeric data types both from the point of view of storing and calculations.
Thanks
Post #1229137
Britt Cluff
Britt Cluff
Posted Tuesday, January 03, 2012 5:34 AM
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Good question Paul, thanks for submitting.
http://brittcluff.blogspot.com/
Post #1229173
L' Eomot Inversé
L' Eomot Inversé
Posted Tuesday, January 03, 2012 6:49 AM
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SQL Kiwi (1/3/2012)
No worries Hugo, though I am a little depressed that the values I chose don't make the difference easier to spot - it really wasn't my intention for this question to be a test of reading skills
It is a good question. Nicely shoots down the myth that these fixed point "exact" numerics have fewer (or less serious) rounding issues than floating point approximate numerics.
I would have thought that if anyone ran it they would notice the difference between 570 and 567 as the last three digits of the result, so it hardly seems a test of reading skills.
But why run it, when it's clear that using decimal(38,20) to multiply these two numbers will run you head on into the draconian rounding used for "exact" numerics?
Tom
Is minic a gheibheann béal oscailte dorn dúnta.
Is minig a cheapas beul fosgailte dòrn dùinte.
Post #1229226
Diogy
Diogy
Posted Tuesday, January 03, 2012 7:04 AM
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Ohh come on!! I'm wrong again. I'm starting to think this is not meant for common people. LOL! But i'm learning much so thanks. ;)
Post #1229233
Paul White
Paul White
Posted Tuesday, January 03, 2012 7:15 AM
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L' Eomot Inversé (1/3/2012)
It is a good question. Nicely shoots down the myth that these fixed point "exact" numerics have fewer (or less serious) rounding issues than floating point approximate numerics.
Thank you!
L' Eomot Inversé (1/3/2012)
I would have thought that if anyone ran it they would notice the difference between 570 and 567 as the last three digits of the result, so it hardly seems a test of reading skills.
That's perhaps true, but it did catch Hugo, so I do have a small regret about not using an example that left
no room at all
for misreading.
Paul White
SQL Server MVP
SQLblog.com
@SQL_Kiwi
Post #1229241
Paul White
Paul White
Posted Tuesday, January 03, 2012 7:15 AM
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Diogy (1/3/2012)
Ohh come on!! I'm wrong again. I'm starting to think this is not meant for common people. LOL! But i'm learning much so thanks. ;)
You're welcome!
Paul White
SQL Server MVP
SQLblog.com
@SQL_Kiwi
Post #1229242
jts_2003
jts_2003
Posted Tuesday, January 03, 2012 7:27 AM
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Luckily I had had my coffee first!
Post #1229253
Hugo Kornelis
Hugo Kornelis
Posted Tuesday, January 03, 2012 7:51 AM
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L' Eomot Inversé (1/3/2012)
I would have thought that if anyone ran it they would notice the difference between 570 and 567 as the last three digits of the result, so it hardly seems a test of reading skills.
On my system, the results displayed ended in 57 (not 570) and 567 - both in grid and text mode.
But that's not what tricked me. I ran the code after replying. I had it wrong for the simple reason that I forgot to check the precision and scale of the result for the decimal, even though I am VERY much aware of this issue (and have, in fact, explained this on several online forums, inclding this one, a multitude of times already!).
If I had bothered to REALLY look at the resutls (instead of casually glancing them) after running the code, I would immediately have understood where my error was. But I didn't, I was already so convinced that Paul mistook the displayed result of the real value for the actual result that I neither checked the results with appropriate attention to detail, nor read the explanation accurately enough.
Sometimes, I have an idea stuck in my head so tightly that I fail to open my mind to other possibilities. Today was such a day.
Hugo Kornelis, SQL Server MVP
Visit my SQL Server blog:
http://sqlblog.com/blogs/hugo_kornelis
Post #1229277
L' Eomot Inversé
L' Eomot Inversé
Posted Tuesday, January 03, 2012 8:20 AM
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Hugo Kornelis (1/3/2012)
Sometimes, I have an idea stuck in my head so tightly that I fail to open my mind to other possibilities. Today was such a day.
It happens to all of us - and to me more often than I like to admit.
Tom
Is minic a gheibheann béal oscailte dorn dúnta.
Is minig a cheapas beul fosgailte dòrn dùinte.
Post #1229304
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