How Can I Maintain High Precision When Storing Latitude/Longitude Data in MySQL?

Preserving Precision in Latitude/Longitude Storage with MySQL

When dealing with geographic data, the precision of Latitude and Longitude coordinates is crucial for accurate map calculations. With coordinates extending up to 8 decimal places, it becomes essential to select the appropriate MySQL data type to retain this level of accuracy.

Contrary to the suggestion of using FLOAT(10, 6) as mentioned in the Google document, this data type limits precision to only six decimal places. To preserve the full eight decimal places of precision, consider using the Point data type within MySQL's Spatial data types.

The Point data type provides a precise representation of geographic coordinates with fractional seconds. It can store both Latitude and Longitude values as a single-value type. By creating a Point column, you can ensure that map calculations are performed with high accuracy.

For instance:

CREATE TABLE `buildings` (
  `coordinate` POINT NOT NULL,
  /* Even from v5.7.5 you can define an index for it */
  SPATIAL INDEX `SPATIAL` (`coordinate`)
) ENGINE=InnoDB;

/* then for insertion you can */
INSERT INTO `buildings` 
(`coordinate`) 
VALUES
(POINT(40.71727401 -74.00898606));

By utilizing the Point data type, you can precisely store and manipulate geographic coordinates, ensuring accurate calculations and data integrity for your mapping applications.

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