Approximate Numeric Data Types in SQL Server

The approximate numeric data types are not as commonly used as other SQL Server data types used to store numeric information. The exact numeric data types provide more precision and are more commonly used.

Data types in the approximate numeric category include:

• float variables store 4-byte or 8-byte floating point numbers. They are specified as float(p), where p is 24 for a 4-byte number and 53 for an 8-byte number.
• real variables store 4-byte floating point numbers and are functionally equivalent to float(24) variables.

If the approximate numeric data types don’t suit your needs, read more about other SQL Server data types.