Example: Comparing Floating Point Values - Teradata Vantage - Analytics Database

SQL Data Types and Literals

Deployment
VantageCloud
VantageCore
Edition
VMware
Enterprise
IntelliFlex
Product
Analytics Database
Teradata Vantage
Release Number
17.20
Published
June 2022
ft:locale
en-US
ft:lastEdition
2025-11-06
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dita:id
exs1472253032394
lifecycle
latest
Product Category
Teradata Vantageā„¢

Calculations involving floating point values often produce results that are not what you expect. If you perform a floating point calculation and then compare the results against some expected value, it is unlikely that you get the intended result. Consider the results of Example: Non-Associativity of Floating Point Arithmetic.

Instead of comparing the results of a floating point calculation, make sure that the result is greater or less than what is needed, with a given error. Here is an example of how to rewrite the statement in Example: Non-Associativity of Floating Point Arithmetic and achieve the desired results:

SELECT i, SUM(a) as sum_a, SUM(b) as sum_b
FROM t1
GROUP BY i
HAVING ABS(sum_a - sum_b) > 1E-10;