What are the key considerations for structuring database tables and data types when working with PHP to perform calculations and display results?

When working with PHP to perform calculations and display results from a database, it is important to carefully structure database tables and choose appropriate data types for storing the necessary information. This includes defining columns with the correct data types (such as INT, FLOAT, DECIMAL) to ensure accurate calculations and results. Additionally, organizing the data in normalized tables can help improve query performance and maintain data integrity.

// Example of creating a table with appropriate data types in MySQL using PHP

$sql = "CREATE TABLE calculations (
    id INT AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY,
    value1 DECIMAL(10,2),
    value2 DECIMAL(10,2),
    result DECIMAL(10,2)
)";

if ($conn->query($sql) === TRUE) {
    echo "Table 'calculations' created successfully";
} else {
    echo "Error creating table: " . $conn->error;
}