**Course Title:** SQL Mastery: From Fundamentals to Advanced Techniques **Section Title:** SQL Functions and Operators **Topic:** Performing calculations with arithmetic operators **Introduction** In the previous topics, we covered the basics of SQL and explored various ways to retrieve and manipulate data using SELECT statements, aggregate functions, and sorting techniques. In this topic, we'll delve into the world of arithmetic operators and learn how to perform calculations using SQL. **What are arithmetic operators in SQL?** Arithmetic operators in SQL are used to perform mathematical operations on numeric data types. These operators enable you to perform calculations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division on columns, constants, or expressions. **Types of arithmetic operators in SQL** SQL supports the following arithmetic operators: * `+` (addition) * `-` (subtraction) * `*` (multiplication) * `/` (division) * `%` (modulus, or remainder) * `^` (exponentiation, supported by some databases) **Using arithmetic operators in SQL** To use arithmetic operators in SQL, you can simply place them between the numbers or columns you want to operate on. For example: ```sql SELECT 2 + 2; -- Returns 4 SELECT 5 * 3; -- Returns 15 SELECT 10 / 2; -- Returns 5 ``` **Arithmetic operations on columns** You can also use arithmetic operators on columns in your database table. For example, let's say we have a table called `employees` with columns `salary` and `bonus`. ```sql CREATE TABLE employees ( id INT, name VARCHAR(255), salary DECIMAL(10, 2), bonus DECIMAL(10, 2) ); INSERT INTO employees (id, name, salary, bonus) VALUES (1, 'John Doe', 50000.00, 10000.00), (2, 'Jane Doe', 60000.00, 15000.00); SELECT name, salary, bonus, salary + bonus AS total_compensation FROM employees; ``` This query will return the total compensation for each employee, calculated by adding the `salary` and `bonus` columns. **Order of operations** When using arithmetic operators in SQL, the order of operations is important. SQL follows the standard order of operations: 1. Parentheses: Evaluates expressions inside parentheses first. 2. Exponentiation: Evaluates exponentiation operators next. 3. Multiplication and Division: Evaluates multiplication and division operators from left to right. 4. Addition and Subtraction: Evaluates addition and subtraction operators from left to right. **Common mistakes to avoid** When using arithmetic operators in SQL, be aware of the following common mistakes: * **Division by zero**: Avoid dividing by zero, as this will raise a divide-by-zero error. * **Integer division**: Be aware that some databases may perform integer division, which truncates the result to an integer. To avoid this, use decimal division by including a decimal point in one of the operands. * **Order of operations**: Double-check the order of operations to ensure that your calculations are evaluated correctly. **Conclusion** In this topic, we covered the basics of arithmetic operators in SQL and learned how to perform calculations using SQL. We explored the types of arithmetic operators, how to use them on columns and constants, and discussed common mistakes to avoid. **Additional resources** For more information on arithmetic operators in SQL, refer to the official documentation for your database management system: * MySQL: [Arithmetic Operators](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/8.0/en/arithmetic-functions.html) * PostgreSQL: [Arithmetic Operators](https://www.postgresql.org/docs/13/functions-math.html) * Microsoft SQL Server: [Arithmetic Operators](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/t-sql/language-elements/arithmetic-operators-transact-sql) **What's next?** In the next topic, we'll explore string manipulation and date functions in SQL. **Leave a comment or ask for help** Do you have any questions or need help with this topic? Please leave a comment below, and we'll do our best to assist you. **Note**: This concludes the topic on performing calculations with arithmetic operators. Please proceed to the next topic to continue learning.