Note 16. Income Taxes (Detail) - Provision for Income Taxes by Geographic Operations (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2012	Aug. 31, 2011		Aug. 31, 2010
U.S. operations	$ 229,772	$ 198,688		$ 182,038
Non-U.S. operations	44,933	40,270		40,143
Income before income taxes	274,705	238,958		222,181
U.S. operations	76,020	58,125		62,554
Non-U.S. operations	9,876	9,787		9,416
Total provision for income taxes	$ 85,896	$ 67,912	[1]	$ 71,970	[2]
Includes Income Tax Benefits [Member]
Effective tax rate	31.30%	28.40%	[1]	32.40%	[2]

[1] Includes income tax benefits of $6.3 million from the finalization of the fiscal 2010 tax return and the reenactment of the U.S. Federal R&D tax credit in December 2010. The fiscal 2011 annual effective tax rate before discrete items of $6.3 million was 30.9% or 40 basis points lower than the 2012 effective tax rate due to the expiration of the U.S. Federal R&D tax credit on December 31, 2011, which negatively impacted the fiscal 2012 annual effective tax rate by 130 basis points.

[2] Includes income tax benefits of $1.3 million from the finalization of the fiscal 2009 tax return, adjustments to certain reserves to reflect the lapse of statute of limitations and higher levels of non-U.S. taxable income. The fiscal 2010 annual effective tax rate before discrete items of $1.3 million was 32.9%.