Salesforce Platform Developer Practice Exam

To which primitive data type is a currency field assigned in Apex?

1. Integer

2. Decimal

3. Double

4. Currency

The correct answer is: Decimal

In Apex, a currency field is assigned to the Decimal primitive data type. This choice is appropriate because currency values often require a high level of precision due to their financial nature, including the need for accurate representation of fractional amounts. The Decimal data type in Apex is specifically designed to handle fixed-point decimal numbers, which makes it suitable for financial calculations where precision is paramount. Using Decimal ensures that calculations on currency fields remain accurate by avoiding issues such as rounding errors that can occur with floating-point types like Double. While Integer and Double are other types available in Apex, they do not provide the specific precision and scale needed for currency representation. Integer lacks the ability to represent fractions, while Double can introduce inaccuracies in calculations due to its floating-point nature. Currency as a standalone type is not utilized in Apex, hence the need to rely on Decimal for handling currency fields effectively.