We all love brain teasers and interesting puzzles. Today I decided to come up with 2 interesting puzzles and winner of the contest will get USD 50 worth Amazon Gift Card. The puzzles are sponsored by NuoDB. Additionally, The first 25 individuals who download NuoDB Beta 8 by midnight Friday, Sept. 21 (EST) will automatically receive a $10 Amazon gift card.
Puzzle 1:
Why following code when executed in SSMS displays result as a * (Star)?
SELECT CAST(634 AS VARCHAR(2))
Puzzle 2:
Write the shortest code that produces results as 1 without using any numbers in the select statement.
Bonus Q:
How many different Operating System (OS) NuoDB support?
Click here HINT
If you can solve above puzzles you will be eligible for winning USD 50 Amazon Gift Card. However, you can always enroll yourself for following Bonus Prizes where if you have good chance of winning USD 10 Amazon Gift Card (if you are first 25 individual in specific time).
Bonus Prizes:
The first 25 individuals who download NuoDB Beta 8 by midnight Friday, Sept. 21 (EST) will automatically receive a $10 Amazon gift card.
Rules:
- Please leave an answer in the comments section below.
- You can resubmit your answer multiple times, the latest entry will be considered valid.
- The winner will be announced on 1st October.
- Last day to participate in the puzzle is September 28th, 2012.
- All valid answer will be kept hidden till September 28th, 2012.
- Only One Winner will get USD 50 worth Amazon Gift Card.
- The first 25 individuals who download NuoDB Beta 8 by midnight Friday, Sept. 21 (EST) will automatically receive a $10 Amazon gift card.
- The winner will be selected using random algorithm.
UPDATE: The winner of the contest is Jaime Mtnz Lafargue (@jaimeml)
Reference: Pinal Dave (https://blog.sqlauthority.com)
365 Comments. Leave new
couple of way
1. select count(*)
2. select len(‘a’)
a. Truncation. The length of the number (3) as a string exceeds the 2 character limit specified
b. select @@ROWCOUNT
c. Five supported OS’s
*answer For First Question is”Because we select nvarchar(2)..that store only
tow charcter
*answer for second Question is “select LEN(‘a’))
select len(‘a)
select cast(634 as varchar(2))
means the length of the integer value is greater than the converting value that time it is showing the result.
select len(‘a’)
Bonus Q:
5 operating system
SELECT @@Option/@@Option
Klaine07,
I tried SELECT @@Option/@@Option,
and I faced this error
Msg 137, Level 15, State 2, Line 1
Must declare the scalar variable “@@Option”
please try this:
select @@OPTIONS/@@OPTIONS
Yes Nitin, its working now, thanks for sharing.
Thanks
Manish
SELECT CAST(‘TRUE’ AS BIT)
(1) VARCHAR(2) isn’t big enough for three digit int, and conversion from int to VARCHAR which doesn’t fit returns * instead of truncating
(2) select (count(*))
(3) 5
Hey Pinal, I am exited and desperate to know the result, and its already Oct 1st started in India, Please share the results as early as possible.
Hey Pinal, I am exited and desperate to know the result, and its already Oct 1st in India, Please share the results as early as possible.
Thanks
Manish
SELECT ‘1’
the reason for using ‘1’ (and I got some slack for using ‘1’) is because technically ‘1’ is NOT a number it is a char! so select ‘1’ does reproduce the requested output, and if you where using ado to set to int sql server likes to do something called implicit casting.
SELECT ’1′
the reason for using ’1′ (and I got some slack for using ’1′) is because technically ’1′ is NOT a number it is a char! so select ’1′ does reproduce the requested output, and if you where using ado to set to int sql server likes to do something called implicit casting.
Hi pinaldave. Why is my answer not correct? I answer sooner than Jaime.
“This is my answer. Question 1: When converting number to character type, the result display * if result length too short to display.
Question 2: select cos($)”
Hi all,
I’m very glad I won the contest. I’ve already received my Amazon.com gift card.
Thank You Pinal, NuoDB and everybodoy involved.
Kind Regards,
Jaime
select count(*)
select count(*)