SQL Developer

What is "all interview questions..." ? I cannot imagine all the existing question about SQL & PL/SQL in the world... all questions about this ones are here, in this forum, they are all the questions about SQL & PL/SQL... Unfortunately, some questions are without answers...

What do you want exactly ?

Nicolas.

here is a list of all interview questions and answers you will ever encounter in every single interview at all companies.

http://www.geekinterview.com/Interview-Questions/Oracle

Hi All,

You can find 100s of pages with detail Oracle Interview questions and answers from http://groups.yahoo.com/group/helpingroot Please leverage these

Hope this helps

Interesting link - however for the OP, I would use those as a guide, but take the answers with a grain of salt. The first question I just happened to click on was:

Q: What are the components of a pl/sql block?
A: Component of PL/SQL Block are Begin,Declare(Mandatory),Exception,ENd.

Simple question - wrong answer. So make sure you double-check the answers with the documentation.

Dear Pal

I not sure all the all answers are correct. I got one mail couple yrs back. I am just sharing mail contents. Kindly keep question and compare answers.


1 Which is more faster - IN or EXISTS?
EXISTS is more faster than IN because EXISTS returns a Boolean value whereas IN returns a value.

2 Which datatype is used for storing graphics and images?
LONG RAW data type is used for storing BLOB's (binary large objects).

3 When do you use WHERE clause and when do you use HAVING clause?
HAVING clause is used when you want to specify a condition for a group function and it is written after GROUP BY clause. The WHERE clause is used when you want to specify a condition for columns, single row functions except group functions and it is written before GROUP BY clause if it is used.

4 What WHERE CURRENT OF clause does in a cursor?
LOOPSELECT num_credits INTO v_numcredits FROM classesWHERE dept=123 and course=101;UPDATE studentsSET current_credits=current_credits+v_numcreditsWHERE CURRENT OF X;END LOOPCOMMIT;END;

5 What should be the return type for a cursor variable.Can we use a scalar data type as return type?
The return type for a cursor must be a record type.It can be declared explicitly as a user-defined or %ROWTYPE can be used. eg TYPE t_studentsref IS REF CURSOR RETURN students%ROWTYPE

6 What is use of a cursor variable? How it is defined?
A cursor variable is associated with different statements at run time, which can hold different values at run time. Static cursors can only be associated with one run time query. A cursor variable is reference type (like a pointer in C).Declaring a cursor variable:TYPE type_name IS REF CURSOR RETURN return_type type_name is the name of the reference type,return_type is a record type indicating the types of the select list that will eventually be returned by the cursor variable.

7 What is the purpose of a cluster?
Oracle does not allow a user to specifically locate tables, since that is a part of the function of the RDBMS. However, for the purpose of increasing performance, oracle allows a developer to create a CLUSTER. A CLUSTER provides a means for storing data from different tables together for faster retrieval than if the table placement were left to the RDBMS.

8 What is the maximum buffer size that can be specified using the DBMS_OUTPUT.ENABLE function?
1,000,00

9 What is syntax for dropping a procedure and a function .Are these operations possible?
Drop Procedure procedure_nameDrop Function function_name

10 What is OCI. What are its uses?
Oracle Call Interface is a method of accesing database from a 3GL program. Uses--No precompiler is required,PL/SQL blocks are executed like other DML statements. The OCI library provides· -functions to parse SQL statemets· -bind input variables· -bind output variables· -execute statements· -fetch the results

11 What is difference between UNIQUE and PRIMARY KEY constraints?
A table can have only one PRIMARY KEY whereas there can be any number of UNIQUE keys. The columns that compose PK are automatically define NOT NULL, whereas a column that compose a UNIQUE is not automatically defined to be mandatory must also specify the column is NOT NULL.

12 What is difference between SUBSTR and INSTR?
SUBSTR returns a specified portion of a string eg SUBSTR('BCDEF',4) output BCDEINSTR provides character position in which a pattern is found in a string. eg INSTR('ABC-DC-F','-',2) output 7 (2nd occurence of '-')

13 What is difference between SQL and SQL*PLUS?
SQL*PLUS is a command line tool where as SQL and PL/SQL language interface and reporting tool. Its a command line tool that allows user to type SQL commands to be executed directly against an Oracle database. SQL is a language used to query the relational database(DML,DCL,DDL). SQL*PLUS commands are used to format query result, Set options, Edit SQL commands and PL/SQL.

14 What is difference between Rename and Alias?
Rename is a permanent name given to a table or column whereas Alias is a temporary name given to a table or column which do not exist once the SQL statement is executed.

15 What is difference between a formal and an actual parameter?
The variables declared in the procedure and which are passed, as arguments are called actual, the parameters in the procedure declaration. Actual parameters contain the values that are passed to a procedure and receive results. Formal parameters are the placeholders for the values of actual parameters

16 What is an UTL_FILE.What are different procedures and functions associated with it?
UTL_FILE is a package that adds the ability to read and write to operating system files. Procedures associated with it are FCLOSE, FCLOSE_ALL and 5 procedures to output data to a file PUT, PUT_LINE, NEW_LINE, PUTF, FFLUSH.PUT, FFLUSH.PUT_LINE,FFLUSH.NEW_LINE. Functions associated with it are FOPEN, ISOPEN.

17 What is a view ?
A view is stored procedure based on one or more tables, it’s a virtual table.

18 What is a pseudo column. Give some examples?
It is a column that is not an actual column in the table.eg USER, UID, SYSDATE, ROWNUM, ROWID, NULL, AND LEVEL.

19 What is a OUTER JOIN?
Outer Join--Its a join condition used where you can query all the rows of one of the tables in the join condition even though they don’t satisfy the join condition.

20 What is a cursor?
Oracle uses work area to execute SQL statements and store processing information PL/SQL construct called a cursor lets you name a work area and access its stored information A cursor is a mechanism used to fetch more than one row in a Pl/SQl block.

21 What is a cursor for loop?
Cursor For Loop is a loop where oracle implicitly declares a loop variable, the loop index that of the same record type as the cursor's record.

22 What are various privileges that a user can grant to another user?
· SELECT· CONNECT· RESOURCES

23 What are various constraints used in SQL?
· NULL· NOT NULL· CHECK· DEFAULT

24 What are ORACLE PRECOMPILERS?
Using ORACLE PRECOMPILERS, SQL statements and PL/SQL blocks can be contained inside 3GL programs written in C,C++,COBOL,PASCAL, FORTRAN,PL/1 AND ADA.The Precompilers are known as Pro*C,Pro*Cobol,...This form of PL/SQL is known as embedded pl/sql,the language in which pl/sql is embedded is known as the host language. The prcompiler translates the embedded SQL and pl/sql ststements into calls to the precompiler runtime library.The output must be compiled and linked with this library to creater an executable.

25 What are different Oracle database objects?
· TABLES· VIEWS· INDEXES· SYNONYMS· SEQUENCES· TABLESPACES etc

26 What are different modes of parameters used in functions and procedures?
· IN· OUT· INOUT

27 What are cursor attributes?
· %ROWCOUNT· %NOTFOUND· %FOUND· %ISOPEN

28 What a SELECT FOR UPDATE cursor represent. [ANSWER]SELECT......FROM......FOR......UPDATE[OF column-reference][NOWAIT] The processing done in a fetch loop modifies the rows that have been retrieved by the cursor. A convenient way of modifying the rows is done by a method with two parts: the FOR UPDATE clause in the cursor declaration, WHERE CURRENT OF CLAUSE in an UPDATE or declaration statement.

29 There is a string 120000 12 0 .125 , how you will find the position of the decimal place?
INSTR('120000 12 0 .125',1,'.')output 13

30 There is a % sign in one field of a column. What will be the query to find it?
'' Should be used before '%'.



31 Suppose a customer table is having different columns like customer no, payments.What will be the query to select top three max payments?
SELECT customer_no, payments from customer C1
WHERE 3<=(SELECT COUNT(*) from customer C2
WHERE C1.payment <= C2.payment)

32 minvalue.sql Select the Nth lowest value from a table
select level, min('col_name') from my_table where level = '&n' connect by prior ('col_name') <
'col_name')
group by level;
Example:
Given a table called emp with the following columns:
-- id number
-- name varchar2(20)
-- sal number
--
-- For the second lowest salary:
-- select level, min(sal) from emp
-- where level=2
-- connect by prior sal < sal
-- group by level

33 maxvalue.sql Select the Nth Highest value from a table
select level, max('col_name') from my_table where level = '&n' connect by prior ('col_name') >
'col_name')
group by level;
Example:
Given a table called emp with the following columns:
-- id number
-- name varchar2(20)
-- sal number
--
-- For the second highest salary:
-- select level, max(sal) from emp
-- where level=2
-- connect by prior sal > sal
-- group by level

34 How you will avoid your query from using indexes?
SELECT * FROM emp
Where emp_no+' '=12345;
i.e you have to concatenate the column name with space within codes in the where condition.
SELECT /*+ FULL(a) */ ename, emp_no from emp
where emp_no=1234;
i.e using HINTS

35 How you will avoid duplicating records in a query?
By using DISTINCT

36 How you were passing cursor variables in PL/SQL 2.2?
In PL/SQL 2.2 cursor variables cannot be declared in a package.This is because the storage for a cursor variable has to be allocated using Pro*C or OCI with version 2.2, the only means of passing a cursor variable to a PL/SQL block is via bind variable or a procedure parameter.

37 How you open and close a cursor variable.Why it is required?
OPEN cursor variable FOR SELECT...Statement
CLOSE cursor variable In order to associate a cursor variable with a particular SELECT statement OPEN syntax is used. In order to free the resources used for the query CLOSE statement is used.

38 How will you delete duplicating rows from a base table?
delete from table_name where rowid not in (select max(rowid) from table group by duplicate_values_field_name); or
delete duplicate_values_field_name dv from table_name ta where rowid <(select min(rowid) from table_name tb where ta.dv=tb.dv);

39 How do you find the numbert of rows in a Table ?
A bad answer is count them (SELECT COUNT(*) FROM table_name)
A good answer is :-
'By generating SQL to ANALYZE TABLE table_name COUNT STATISTICS by querying Oracle System Catalogues (e.g. USER_TABLES or ALL_TABLES).
The best answer is to refer to the utility which Oracle released which makes it unnecessary to do ANALYZE TABLE for each Table individually.

40 Find out nth highest salary from emp table
SELECT DISTINCT (a.sal) FROM EMP A WHERE &N = (SELECT COUNT (DISTINCT (b.sal)) FROM EMP B WHERE a.sal<=b.sal);
For Eg:-
Enter value for n: 2
SAL
---------
3700

41 Display the records between two range?
select rownum, empno, ename from emp where rowid in (select rowid from emp where rownum <=&upto minus select rowid from emp where rownum<&Start);

42 Display the number value in Words?
SQL> select sal, (to_char(to_date(sal,'j'), 'jsp'))
from emp;
the output like,
SAL (TO_CHAR(TO_DATE(SAL,'J'),'JSP'))
--------- -----------------------------------------------------
800 eight hundred
1600 one thousand six hundred
1250 one thousand two hundred fifty
If you want to add some text like, Rs. Three Thousand only.
SQL> select sal "Salary ",
(' Rs. '|| (to_char(to_date(sal,'j'), 'Jsp'))|| ' only.'))
"Sal in Words" from emp
/
Salary Sal in Words
------- ------------------------------------------------------
800 Rs. Eight Hundred only.
1600 Rs. One Thousand Six Hundred only.
1250 Rs. One Thousand Two Hundred Fifty only.

43 Display Odd/ Even number of records
Odd number of records:
select * from emp where (rowid,1) in (select rowid, mod(rownum,2) from emp);
Output:-
1
3
5
Even number of records:
select * from emp where (rowid,0) in (select rowid, mod(rownum,2) from emp)
Output:-
2
4
6

44 Difference between procedure and function.
Functions are named PL/SQL blocks that return a value and can be called with arguments procedure a named block that can be called with parameter. A procedure all is a PL/SQL statement by itself, while a Function call is called as part of an expression.

45 Difference between NO DATA FOUND and %NOTFOUND
NO DATA FOUND is an exception raised only for the SELECT....INTO statements when the where clause of the querydoes not match any rows. When the where clause of the explicit cursor does not match any rows the %NOTFOUND attribute is set to TRUE instead.

46 Difference between database triggers and form triggers?
Data base trigger(DBT) fires when a DML operation is performed on a data base table. Form trigger(FT) Fires when user presses a key or navigates between fields on the screen
Can be row level or statement level No distinction between row level and statement level.
Can manipulate data stored in Oracle tables via SQL Can manipulate data in Oracle tables as well as variables in forms.
Can be fired from any session executing the triggering DML statements. Can be fired only from the form that define the trigger.
Can cause other database triggers to fire.Can cause other database triggers to fire, but not other form triggers.

47 Difference between an implicit & an explicit cursor.
PL/SQL declares a cursor implicitly for all SQL data manipulation statements, including quries that return only one row. However,queries that return more than one row you must declare an explicit cursor or use a cursor FOR loop.
Explicit cursor is a cursor in which the cursor name is explicitly assigned to a SELECT statement via the CURSOR...IS statement. An implicit cursor is used for all SQL statements Declare, Open, Fetch, Close. An explicit cursors are used to process multirow SELECT statements An implicit cursor is used to process INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE and single row SELECT. .INTO statements.

48 Can you use a commit statement within a database trigger?
No.

49 Can the default values be assigned to actual parameters?
Yes

50 Can cursor variables be stored in PL/SQL tables.If yes how. If not why?
No, a cursor variable points a row which cannot be stored in a two-dimensional PL/SQL table.

51 Can a primary key contain more than one columns?
Yes

52 Can a function take OUT parameters. If not why?
No. A function has to return a value,an OUT parameter cannot return a value.

53 What are various joins used while writing SUBQUERIES?
Self join-Its a join foreign key of a table references the same table. Outer Join--Its a join condition used where One can query all the rows of one of the tables in the join condition even though they don't satisfy the join condition.
Equi-join--Its a join condition that retrieves rows from one or more tables in which one or more columns in one table are equal to one or more columns in the second table.

54 Differentiate between TRUNCATE and DELETE
TRUNCATE deletes much faster than DELETE
TRUNCATE
DELETE

It is a DDL statement It is a DML statement
It is a one way trip,cannot ROLLBACK One can Rollback
Doesn't have selective features (where clause) Has
Doesn't fire database triggers Does
It requires disabling of referential constraints. Does not require



1 What is PL/SQL ?
PL/SQL is a procedural language that has both interactive SQL and procedural programming language constructs such as iteration, conditional branching.

2 Write the order of precedence for validation of a column in a table ?
I. done using Database triggers.
ii. done using Integarity Constraints.

I & ii.

Exception :

3 Where the Pre_defined_exceptions are stored ?

In the standard package.

Procedures, Functions & Packages ;

4 What are % TYPE and % ROWTYPE ? What are the advantages of using these over datatypes?

% TYPE provides the data type of a variable or a database column to that variable.

% ROWTYPE provides the record type that represents a entire row of a table or view or columns selected in the cursor.

The advantages are : I. Need not know about variable's data type
ii. If the database definition of a column in a table changes, the data type of a variable changes accordingly.

5 What will happen after commit statement ?
Cursor C1 is
Select empno,
ename from emp;
Begin
open C1; loop
Fetch C1 into
eno.ename;
Exit When
C1 %notfound;-----
commit;
end loop;
end;

The cursor having query as SELECT .... FOR UPDATE gets closed after COMMIT/ROLLBACK.

The cursor having query as SELECT.... does not get closed even after COMMIT/ROLLBACK.

6 What is the basic structure of PL/SQL ?

PL/SQL uses block structure as its basic structure. Anonymous blocks or nested blocks can be used in PL/SQL.

7 What is Raise_application_error ?

Raise_application_error is a procedure of package DBMS_STANDARD which allows to issue an user_defined error messages from stored sub-program or database trigger.

8 What is Pragma EXECPTION_INIT ? Explain the usage ?

The PRAGMA EXECPTION_INIT tells the complier to associate an exception with an oracle error. To get an error message of a specific oracle error.

e.g. PRAGMA EXCEPTION_INIT (exception name, oracle error number)

9 What is PL/SQL table ?

Objects of type TABLE are called "PL/SQL tables", which are modeled as (but not the same as) database tables, PL/SQL tables use a primary PL/SQL tables can have one column and a primary key.


Cursors

10 What is Overloading of procedures ?

The Same procedure name is repeated with parameters of different datatypes and parameters in different positions, varying number of parameters is called overloading of procedures.

e.g. DBMS_OUTPUT put_line

What is a package ? What are the advantages of packages ?

11 What is difference between a PROCEDURE & FUNCTION ?

A FUNCTION is always returns a value using the return statement.
A PROCEDURE may return one or more values through parameters or may not return at all.

12 What is difference between a Cursor declared in a procedure and Cursor declared in a package specification ?

A cursor declared in a package specification is global and can be accessed by other procedures or procedures in a package.
A cursor declared in a procedure is local to the procedure that can not be accessed by other procedures.

13 What is difference between % ROWTYPE and TYPE RECORD ?

% ROWTYPE is to be used whenever query returns a entire row of a table or view.

TYPE rec RECORD is to be used whenever query returns columns of different
table or views and variables.

E.g. TYPE r_emp is RECORD (eno emp.empno% type,ename emp ename %type
);
e_rec emp% ROWTYPE
cursor c1 is select empno,deptno from emp;
e_rec c1 %ROWTYPE.

14 What is an Exception ? What are types of Exception ?

Exception is the error handling part of PL/SQL block. The types are Predefined and user defined. Some of Predefined exceptions are.
CURSOR_ALREADY_OPEN
DUP_VAL_ON_INDEX
NO_DATA_FOUND
TOO_MANY_ROWS
INVALID_CURSOR
INVALID_NUMBER
LOGON_DENIED
NOT_LOGGED_ON
PROGRAM-ERROR
STORAGE_ERROR
TIMEOUT_ON_RESOURCE
VALUE_ERROR
ZERO_DIVIDE
OTHERS.

15 What is a stored procedure ?

A stored procedure is a sequence of statements that perform specific function.

16 What is a database trigger ? Name some usages of database trigger ?

Database trigger is stored PL/SQL program unit associated with a specific database table. Usages are Audit data modifications, Log events transparently, Enforce complex business rules Derive column values automatically, Implement complex security authorizations. Maintain replicate tables.

17 What is a cursor for loop ?

Cursor for loop implicitly declares %ROWTYPE as loop index,opens a cursor, fetches rows of values from active set into fields in the record and closes
when all the records have been processed.

eg. FOR emp_rec IN C1 LOOP
salary_total := salary_total +emp_rec sal;
END LOOP;

18 What is a cursor ? Why Cursor is required ?

Cursor is a named private SQL area from where information can be accessed. Cursors are required to process rows individually for queries returning multiple rows.

19 What happens if a procedure that updates a column of table X is called in a database trigger of the same table ?

Mutation of table occurs.

20 What are two virtual tables available during database trigger execution ?

The table columns are referred as OLD.column_name and NEW.column_name.
For triggers related to INSERT only NEW.column_name values only available.
For triggers related to UPDATE only OLD.column_name NEW.column_name values only available.
For triggers related to DELETE only OLD.column_name values only available.

21 What are two parts of package ?

The two parts of package are PACKAGE SPECIFICATION & PACKAGE BODY.

Package Specification contains declarations that are global to the packages and local to the schema.
Package Body contains actual procedures and local declaration of the procedures and cursor declarations.

22 What are the two parts of a procedure ?

Procedure Specification and Procedure Body.

23 What are the return values of functions SQLCODE and SQLERRM ?

SQLCODE returns the latest code of the error that has occurred.
SQLERRM returns the relevant error message of the SQLCODE.

24 What are the PL/SQL Statements used in cursor processing ?

DECLARE CURSOR cursor name, OPEN cursor name, FETCH cursor name INTO or Record types, CLOSE cursor name.

25 What are the modes of parameters that can be passed to a procedure ?

IN,OUT,IN-OUT parameters.

26 What are the datatypes a available in PL/SQL ?

Some scalar data types such as NUMBER, VARCHAR2, DATE, CHAR, LONG, BOOLEAN.
Some composite data types such as RECORD & TABLE.

27 What are the cursor attributes used in PL/SQL ?

%ISOPEN - to check whether cursor is open or not
% ROWCOUNT - number of rows fetched/updated/deleted.
% FOUND - to check whether cursor has fetched any row. True if rows are fetched.
% NOT FOUND - to check whether cursor has fetched any row. True if no rows are featched.
These attributes are proceeded with SQL for Implicit Cursors and with Cursor name for Explicit Cursors.

28 What are the components of a PL/SQL Block ?

Declarative part, Executable part and Exception part.

Datatypes PL/SQL

29 What are the components of a PL/SQL block ?

A set of related declarations and procedural statements is called block.

30 What are advantages fo Stored Procedures /

Extensibility,Modularity, Reusability, Maintainability and one time compilation.


1 What is PL/SQL ?
PL/SQL is a procedural language that has both interactive SQL and procedural programming language constructs such as iteration, conditional branching.

2 Write the order of precedence for validation of a column in a table ?
I. done using Database triggers.
ii. done using Integarity Constraints.

I & ii.

Exception :

3 Where the Pre_defined_exceptions are stored ?

In the standard package.

Procedures, Functions & Packages ;

4 What are % TYPE and % ROWTYPE ? What are the advantages of using these over datatypes?

% TYPE provides the data type of a variable or a database column to that variable.

% ROWTYPE provides the record type that represents a entire row of a table or view or columns selected in the cursor.

The advantages are : I. Need not know about variable's data type
ii. If the database definition of a column in a table changes, the data type of a variable changes accordingly.

5 What will happen after commit statement ?
Cursor C1 is
Select empno,
ename from emp;
Begin
open C1; loop
Fetch C1 into
eno.ename;
Exit When
C1 %notfound;-----
commit;
end loop;
end;

The cursor having query as SELECT .... FOR UPDATE gets closed after COMMIT/ROLLBACK.

The cursor having query as SELECT.... does not get closed even after COMMIT/ROLLBACK.

6 What is the basic structure of PL/SQL ?

PL/SQL uses block structure as its basic structure. Anonymous blocks or nested blocks can be used in PL/SQL.

7 What is Raise_application_error ?

Raise_application_error is a procedure of package DBMS_STANDARD which allows to issue an user_defined error messages from stored sub-program or database trigger.

8 What is Pragma EXECPTION_INIT ? Explain the usage ?

The PRAGMA EXECPTION_INIT tells the complier to associate an exception with an oracle error. To get an error message of a specific oracle error.

e.g. PRAGMA EXCEPTION_INIT (exception name, oracle error number)

9 What is PL/SQL table ?

Objects of type TABLE are called "PL/SQL tables", which are modeled as (but not the same as) database tables, PL/SQL tables use a primary PL/SQL tables can have one column and a primary key.


Cursors

10 What is Overloading of procedures ?

The Same procedure name is repeated with parameters of different datatypes and parameters in different positions, varying number of parameters is called overloading of procedures.

e.g. DBMS_OUTPUT put_line

What is a package ? What are the advantages of packages ?

11 What is difference between a PROCEDURE & FUNCTION ?

A FUNCTION is always returns a value using the return statement.
A PROCEDURE may return one or more values through parameters or may not return at all.

12 What is difference between a Cursor declared in a procedure and Cursor declared in a package specification ?

A cursor declared in a package specification is global and can be accessed by other procedures or procedures in a package.
A cursor declared in a procedure is local to the procedure that can not be accessed by other procedures.

13 What is difference between % ROWTYPE and TYPE RECORD ?

% ROWTYPE is to be used whenever query returns a entire row of a table or view.

TYPE rec RECORD is to be used whenever query returns columns of different
table or views and variables.

E.g. TYPE r_emp is RECORD (eno emp.empno% type,ename emp ename %type
);
e_rec emp% ROWTYPE
cursor c1 is select empno,deptno from emp;
e_rec c1 %ROWTYPE.

14 What is an Exception ? What are types of Exception ?

Exception is the error handling part of PL/SQL block. The types are Predefined and user defined. Some of Predefined exceptions are.
CURSOR_ALREADY_OPEN
DUP_VAL_ON_INDEX
NO_DATA_FOUND
TOO_MANY_ROWS
INVALID_CURSOR
INVALID_NUMBER
LOGON_DENIED
NOT_LOGGED_ON
PROGRAM-ERROR
STORAGE_ERROR
TIMEOUT_ON_RESOURCE
VALUE_ERROR
ZERO_DIVIDE
OTHERS.

15 What is a stored procedure ?

A stored procedure is a sequence of statements that perform specific function.

16 What is a database trigger ? Name some usages of database trigger ?

Database trigger is stored PL/SQL program unit associated with a specific database table. Usages are Audit data modifications, Log events transparently, Enforce complex business rules Derive column values automatically, Implement complex security authorizations. Maintain replicate tables.

17 What

Wrong.
Wrong.

After such a great start I couldn't be bothered with the rest.

Well, as the original post was last November I expect they've got a job by now. If they're still looking a quick cram from this site is unlikely to help them much.

Cheers, APC

What is the question and what is the answer?

If we leave the questions and answers aside, look at the number of hits to this thread. The subject of the thread makes the difference.

Cheers
Sarma.

A quick whizz through the rest shows several other statements are wrong or incomplete. Still this could be a great resource for interviewers, as a tool for weeding out credulous gawdelpuses.

Cheers, APC

Damn I am slipping - I am usually really anal about looking at the posting date so we don't have another PL/SQL Standards debacle. Oh well.