Date:         Tue, 26 Feb 2002 09:59:53 +0000
Reply-To:     dkb@CIX.COMPULINK.CO.UK
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         dkb@CIX.COMPULINK.CO.UK
Organization: Nextra UK
Subject:      Re: storing and operating large numbers

Gleb V. Kotelnitskyy writes:
> I have to store 18-digits phone numbers, so i dont want to waste 11
> bits for exponential part.

You won't be doing arithmetic with them, so don't store them as
numerics - store them as 18 byte character strings.  If you really have
such a problem with space, store them as 9 byte character strings using
both half-bytes and use a $HEX18. format to display them.

Kind regards,

Dave
.