Re: sql query

[Arn Klammer]

It's because Oracle dates are stored as a real number, where the integer portion represents the date and the decimal portion represents the time.  This means you can do date arithmetic simply by adding or subtracting numbers to a date, where 1.0 = one day, 2.0 = two days, etc.   This means that, as far as fractions of a day are concerned, 0.5 = half a day = 12 hours, 1/24 = one hour, 1/(24 * 60) = 1 minute and 1/(24 * 3600) = 1 second.  In your example, 5/(24*3600) = 5 seconds that are being subtracted from the current date/time.   (This representation is really handy - to convert a date/time to just a date (no time portion), you just have to TRUNC() the date.)   -a >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 3/4/2001 14:00:20 >>> This message has been scanned by MAILSweeper. ************************************************************ I found a query to get the time 5 seconds less than the current time as select to_char(sysdate-5/(24*3600),'dd-mon-yyyy hh24:mi:ss') from dual; I am really not sure as to why 24*3600 is used for. Can anyone tell me why it is used. Thanks Ravindra -- Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com -- Author: Ravindra Basavaraja   INET: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Fat City Network Services    -- (858) 538-5051  FAX: (858) 538-5051 San Diego, California        -- Public Internet access / Mailing Lists -------------------------------------------------------------------- To REMOVE yourself from this mailing list, send an E-Mail message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (note EXACT spelling of 'ListGuru') and in the message BODY, include a line containing: UNSUB ORACLE-L (or the name of mailing list you want to be removed from).  You may also send the HELP command for other information (like subscribing). ********************************************************************** This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager. This footnote also confirms that this email message has been swept by MIMEsweeper for the presence of computer viruses. www.mimesweeper.com **********************************************************************