What instead where clause? Interview question

[jaryszek]

Hi,

I had yesterday "simple" interview question.

I have 2 columns table with 1 000 000 records for example.

Attachment 31212


and in column T-shirt will be 1000 different colors, but i want to get only 50 of them.

I can do it using where clause and OR statement but i have to wright it 50 times.

I did not know how to do in different way and recruiter sad that i can do it using inner join within the query.


So divide within query second table with choosen colors from T-shirt and use inner join to show only matching names.

I do not have idea how to do it using only one table.
Can you please help me?

Best wishes,
Jacek Antek

[orange]

jacek,
Here's an example from one of my tables

SELECT TOP 50 
tbl_Spl_LCL_Std_EstDetail.Est_Name
, tbl_Spl_LCL_Std_EstDetail.EMAIL_ADR
, tbl_Spl_LCL_Std_EstDetail.URL
, tbl_Spl_LCL_Std_EstDetail.ESTBLMT_EMP_CNT
FROM tbl_Spl_LCL_Std_EstDetail 
where email_adr is not null;

This selects TOP 50 of ESTDetail records where the company has an email address.

You could sort on a different field(s) and get a different 50, or any other number of records.

Here is an older link with more info.

[June7]

And I don't understand the recruiter's suggested query structure unless it involved 2 tables.

[orange]

June,
I agree -often readers are still having to guess at the requirement/issue to be resolved and parameters.

[jaryszek]

Thank you Guys,

yes it is very strange question and issue/requirement i had to guess.
I am trying to reach recruteir in order to find out what he meant.

Jacek