Charles, You may consider Steve Adams' consider_histograms.sql script, available here: http://ixora.com.au/scripts/query_opt.htm -Mark -- Mark J. Bobak Senior Oracle Architect ProQuest Information & Learning Ours is the age that is proud of machines that can think and suspicious of men who try to. --H. Mumford Jones, 1892-1980 ________________________________ From: oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Schultz, Charles Sent: Thursday, July 27, 2006 4:15 PM To: oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: UncompBkts: what is it? (reference to 10053 trace) Google did not deign to tell me, so I am looking elsewhere. In somewhat related terms, is there a set mathematical formula for "data skew"? Folks talk about a "little skew" or "very skewed" data. Practically any column is going to have at least some skew, but I have to assume that there is a threshold whereby a given histogram (ie, insufficient number of buckets) is going to hurt your performance. charles schultz oracle dba aits - adsd university of illinois