Database Programming with

PL/SQL 2-3: Recognizing Data

Types
Practice Activities
Vocabulary
Identify the vocabulary word for each definition below:

NVARCHAR Store large blocks of single-byte or fixed width multi-byte

NCHAR data in the database.
LOB Locator Hold values, called locators, that specify the location of
large objects (such as graphic images) that are stored out
of line.
Scalar
Hold a single value with no internal components.
BLOB
Store large unstructured or structured binary objects.
Composite Contain internal elements that are either scalar (record)
or composite (record and table)
BFILE
Store large binary files outside of the database.
Pointer
Hold values, called pointers, that point to a storage
location.
Object type
A schema object with a name, attributes, and methods.
CLOB
Store large blocks of character data in the database.

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their respective owners.
Try It / Solve It
1. In your own words, describe what a data type is and explain why it is important.
A data type defines the type of data that can be stored in a variable, column, or object in a
database. It determines the kind of values that can be assigned to that particular variable or
column.

2. Identify the three data type categories covered in this course.

 Scalar Data Types

 Composite Data Types

 LOB (Large Object) Data Types

3. Identify three data types covered in the Database Programming with SQL course.
Varchar2,Number, BLOB
4. What data type can be used in PL/SQL, but can’t be used to define a table column?
The BOOLEAN data type can be used in PL/SQL but cannot be used to define a table
column.
5. Which data type indicates a large data object that is stored outside of the database?
The BFILE data type is used to store large data objects outside of the database.
6. Identify the data type category (LOB, Scalar, or Composite) for each data type.
Each category may be used more than once.

Data Type Data Type Category

LOB
CLOB
Scalar
VARCHAR2
LOB
BLOB
Scalar
NUMBER
LOB
BFILE
Scalar
TIMESTAMP
LOB
NCLOB
Composite
RECORD
Scalar
PLS_INTEGER
Scalar
LONG
Composite
TABLE
Scalar
BOOLEAN
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2
7. Enter the data type category and the data type for each value. The first one has been done
for you.

Value Data Type Category Data Type

‘Switzerland’ Scalar VARCHAR2
CLOB CLOB
Text of a resume
Scalar NUMBER
100.20
LOB BLOB
A picture
Scalar NUMBER
1053
Scalar DATE
11-Jun-2016
CLOB CLOB
‘Computer science is the
science of the 21st
century.’
Composite Table
Index Last_name
1 'Newman'
2 'Raman'
3 'Han'

LOB BLOB
A movie
LOB BLOB
A sound byte
Scalar BOOLEAN
FALSE

Copyright © 2020, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Oracle and Java are registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.