TOPIC 9.2 | DATABASES

ON THIS PAGE
9.2 Suggest suitable basic data types 
• Including: 
– text/alphanumeric
– character
– Boolean
– integer
– real
– date/time

ALSO IN THIS SECTION
9.1 DEFINING A DATABASE
9.2 DATA TYPES
9.3 PRIMARY KEYS
9.4 SQL (STRUCTURED QUERY LANGUAGE)​
KEY TERMINOLOGY

WHAT IS MEANT BY 'DATA TYPES'

In the context of databases, data types are fundamental attributes that define the kind of data a database column can hold. They are essential because they ensure data consistency, accuracy, and efficient storage. By defining data types, a database knows exactly how to store, retrieve, and process the data. For instance, a data type can specify whether a column should hold numerical values, text, dates, or binary data. This not only helps in maintaining data integrity (by preventing incorrect data types from being stored in a column) but also optimises query performance. When data types are correctly defined, databases can more effectively allocate storage and execute operations, leading to faster and more reliable database systems. In summary, data types are crucial in databases as they provide a framework for storing data in a structured and efficient manner, ensuring the database operates correctly and effectively.

DATA TYPES

TEXT / ALPHANUMERIC | Text or alphanumeric data types are used to store combinations of letters, numbers, and other characters. They are typically used for storing names, addresses, or any other kind of textual information.
Usage Example: In a customer database, the customer's name ("John Doe") and address ("123 Maple Street") would be stored as text/alphanumeric data.

CHARACTER | The character data type is used for storing single letters or symbols. Unlike text, which can include multiple characters, this type is limited to just one.
Usage Example: Storing the first letter of a last name, or a grade in a grading system (like 'A', 'B', 'C', etc.), would use the character data type.

BOOLEAN | A Boolean data type represents two possible states: true or false. This is often used in conditions and logical operations.
Usage Example: In a user permissions setting, a Boolean value could represent whether a user is allowed to access a particular feature (true for access granted, false for access denied).

INTEGER | Integer data types store whole numbers, which can be positive, negative, or zero, but without any decimal points.
Usage Example: Counting items (like the number of books on a shelf) would use an integer, as you can't have a fraction of a book in this context.

REAL | Real numbers, also known as floating-point numbers, are used to represent numbers that require decimal points. They are essential for precision in calculations.
Usage Example: Financial applications often use real numbers, for instance, to represent currency values like $100.99.

DATE / TIME | The date/time data type is used to store dates and times. This can include just dates, just times, or both combined.
Usage Example: In a blogging platform, the date/time data type could be used to store the publication date and time of a blog post.