CHAPTER 9Playing the Numbers
Virtually everything we do, particularly in business, is measured, explained, and often guided by numbers. Although Oracle cannot correct our obsession with numbers and the illusion of control they often give us, it will facilitate capable and thorough analysis of the information in a database. Good mathematical analysis of familiar numbers will often show trends and facts that were initially not apparent.
The Three Classes of Number Functions
Oracle functions deal with three classes of numbers: single values, groups of values, and lists of values. As with string functions (discussed in Chapters 7 and 8), some of these functions change the values they are applied to, whereas others merely report information about ...
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