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From: "   " <mackdm@my-Deja.com>
Newsgroups: comp.databases.oracle.server
Subject: Re: Skill testing SQL question
Date: Fri, 12 Nov 1999 15:21:36 -0800
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 There is a very easy solution to this question.
And a very reasonably one by the interviewer.

Solution

delete DUPE_TABLE a
  where rowid = (select max(rowid)
                    from DUPE_TABLE b
                    where b.aa = a.aa
                      and b.bb = b.bb)
--

On Fri, 5 Nov 1999 08:54:50    Jonathan Lewis wrote:
> Message from the Deja.com forum: 
> comp.databases.oracle.server
> Your subscription is set to individual email delivery
>>
>
>It's not a good question, it's either a
>very bad question or a totally inspired
>question.
>
>
>With 6 rows and two columns as set,
>the sensible solution is:
>
>
>select * from dupe_table;
>
>--  examine output by eye
>
>delete from dupe_table where aa = 1 and rownum = 1;
>delete from dupe_table where aa = 2 and rownum = 1;
>delete from dupe_table where aa = 3 and rownum = 1;
>
>select * from dupe_table;  -- to check results
>
>commit;
>
>
>If the intent of your interviewer was to
>discover how smart you were at writing
>'clever' SQL, the question was bad.
>
>If the interviewer was trying to find out
>whether you were able to spot pragmatic
>realistic, simple solutions before diving
>for 'esoteric technology' then the question
>was brilliant.
>
>
>--
>
>Jonathan Lewis
>Yet another Oracle-related web site:  http://www.jlcomp.demon.co.uk
>
>argosy22@my-deja.com wrote in message <7vss7n$c36$1@nnrp1.deja.com>...
>>Hello all,
>>
>>This is a good skill testing question
>>that I was asked in an interview.
>>
>>You have a table, DUPE_TABLE,
>>with two fields, AA, and BB.
>>No primary key.  Dupe data.
>>Only 6 rows.
>>2 sets of the same exact 3 rows.
>>
>>DUPE_TABLE:
>>AA BB
>>1 x
>>2 y
>>3 z
>>1 x
>>2 y
>>3 z
>>
>>
>>You want to delete 3 rows, so that
>>you have only one set of 3:
>>
>>AA BB
>>1 x
>>2 y
>>3 z
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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