Re: Best data type to use for sales tax percent - Mailing list pgsql-general

From Lew
Subject Re: Best data type to use for sales tax percent
Date
Msg-id hamb0g$nha$1@news.albasani.net
Whole thread Raw
In response to Re: Best data type to use for sales tax percent  (Rich Shepard <rshepard@appl-ecosys.com>)
Responses Re: Best data type to use for sales tax percent
List pgsql-general
Rich Shepard wrote:
> On Thu, 8 Oct 2009, Mike Christensen wrote:
>
>> I'll probably just use 3,3 and store this value between 0 and 1, since
>> all
>> I'll be doing with this number is using it to multiply against a
>> subtotal. 3,3 gives me 0.000 through 0.999, correct?
>
> Mike,
>
>   No. The two digits represent the width of the column and the number of
> significant digits. Try (4,3).

That will fail for the scenario that Christope Pettus pointed out.  California
is not the only state with sales tax specified to a quarter point., or even a
tenth of a point as in Missouri, where a local sales tax can be 9.241%, and
equal or exceed 10%, as in Alabama, Arizona, California and Illinois.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sales_taxes_in_the_United_States>

It's a good idea to research the domain before deciding on the representation.

--
Lew

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