MySQL Programming Question:

You can convert character strings to numeric values by using the CAST(string AS DECIMAL) or CAST(string AS SIGNED INTEGER) function as shown in the following examples:

SELECT CAST('4123.45700' AS DECIMAL) FROM DUAL;
4123.46
-- Very poor conversion

SELECT CAST('4.12345700e+3' AS DECIMAL) FROM DUAL;
4123.46
-- Very poor conversion

SELECT CAST('4123.45700' AS SIGNED INTEGER) FROM DUAL;
4123

SELECT CAST('4.12345700e+3' AS SIGNED INTEGER) FROM DUAL;
4
-- Very poor conversion