Final answer:
In a relational database, each column in a table must be assigned a data type, specifying the kind of data it can store, such as integers or text, to maintain data integrity.
Step-by-step explanation:
When you create a table in a relational database, you must assign a data type to each column in the table. Data types specify the kind of data that can be stored in each column, such as integers, decimals, text, dates, or binary objects. For example, if you have a column intended to store whole numbers, you might assign it an INTEGER data type, whereas a column meant to hold text would be assigned a VARCHAR or TEXT data type. Properly defining data types helps maintain data integrity and optimizes database performance.