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SQL ABS() function

Absolute value function

SQL ABS() function is used to get the absolute value of a number passed as an argument.

Syntax:

ABS(expression)

Parameters:

Name Description
expression An expression which is a numeric value or numeric data type. The bit data type is not allowed.

MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle and SQL Server

All of above platforms support the SQL syntax of ABS().

SQL ABS() function: Pictorial presentation

SQL: abs() function

Example :

To get the absolute value of the number -17.36 from the DUAL table, the following SQL statement can be used :

SELECT ABS(-17.36)
FROM dual;

Output:

ABS(-17.36)
-----------
      17.36

SQL ABS() function with distinct clause

Sample table: agents


To get unique absolute value of the column 'commission' after multiplying by (-1) with a column alias "DISTINCT(ABS())" from the 'agents' table, the following SQL statement can be used :

SELECT DISTINCT(ABS(commission*(-1))) "DISTINCT(ABS())"
FROM agents;

Output:

DISTINCT(ABS())
---------------
            .15
            .11
            .14
            .13
            .12

Note: Outputs of the said SQL statement shown here is taken by using Oracle Database 10g Express Edition.

Here is a slide presentation which covers the SQL arithmetic functions.

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