DISTINCT to enumerate the values of a categorical column
Before we wire any dashboards, I need the definitive product list. Give me every distinct `product_type` that appears in `banking_accounts`. Just the one column. Raw values — don't normalize, I want to see the casing as it's actually stored.
| Column | Type | Key |
|---|---|---|
| account_id | INT | PK |
| customer_id | INT | FK → banking_customers |
| product_type | TEXT | |
| open_date | TEXT | |
| close_date | TEXT | |
| credit_limit | REAL | |
| current_fico | INT | |
| status | TEXT |
Each hint you reveal reduces the XP you can earn. Try the query first.
Product types repeat across thousands of account rows — you want the unique list, not a count. Think about the SQL keyword that returns only distinct values.
Do NOT apply `LOWER()` or `TRIM()` — Marcus wants the raw stored values to spot any casing drift from a source-system mismatch.
DISTINCT on the product column collapses thousands of account rows down to the unique product taxonomy. The list should be short — that's the point.