> Just to add in here...Oracle:
>
> SQL> select sum(population) from nations;
>
> SUM(POPULATION)
> ---------------
> 2771277000
>
> SQL>
Here is Sybase. Note, I declared the population field as int.
1> SELECT * FROM t1
2> go
name population
-------------------- -----------
RUSSIA 281170000
INDIA 766140000
CHINA 1072220000
JAPAN 129947000
CANADA 25610000
U.S.A. 242080000
MEXICO 81160000
BRAZIL 141450000
ARGENTINA 31500000
(9 rows affected)
1> select sum(population) from t1
2> go
Arithmetic overflow occurred.
But with population defined as numeric(20,0)
1> select * from t2
2> go
name population
-------------------- -----------------------
JAPAN 129947000
CANADA 25610000
U.S.A. 242080000
MEXICO 81160000
BRAZIL 141450000
ARGENTINA 31500000
INDIA 766140000
CHINA 1072220000
RUSSIA 281170000
(9 rows affected)
1> select sum(population) from t2
2> go
-----------------------------------------
2771277000
I sort of like this behavior. This way, a valid sum over fields of
type X can always be stored in a field of type X.
Ocie Mitchell
