Database/SQL: How to store longitude/latitude data?

Question

Performance question ...

I have a database of houses that have geolocation data (longitude & latitude).

What I want to do is find the best way to store t

Answer 1

It really depends on how you are using the data. But in a gross over-simplification of the facts, decimal is faster but less accurate in aproximations. More info here:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa223970(SQL.80).aspx

Also, The standard for GPS coordinates is specified in ISO 6709:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_6709