Explain any three aggregate functions with examples
Explain Any Three Aggregate Functions with Examples
In SQL and many database systems, aggregate functions
play a vital role in summarizing large volumes of data. These functions perform
calculations on multiple rows and return a single value as output. They are
most commonly used with the GROUP BY clause and are crucial in data analysis,
reporting, and decision-making.
Whether you’re preparing for an interview, working on a
data-driven project, or learning SQL for the first time, understanding
aggregate functions will improve your data handling skills.
What Are Aggregate Functions?
Aggregate functions process a set of values and return a
single summarized result. These functions are used to perform mathematical
operations on columns of data such as totals, averages, minimums, and
maximums.
Three Common Aggregate Functions in SQL
1. COUNT()
Purpose:
Returns the total number of rows that match a specified condition.
Syntax:
SELECT COUNT(*) FROM employees;
Example:
If you want to count how many employees exist in the employees table:
SELECT COUNT(*) AS TotalEmployees FROM employees;
Use Case:
Used to count records, such as total users, transactions, or entries in any
dataset.
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2. SUM()
Purpose:
Returns the total sum of a numeric column.
Syntax:
SELECT SUM(salary) FROM employees;
Example:
To get the total salary paid to employees:
SELECT SUM(salary) AS TotalSalaries FROM employees;
Use Case:
Ideal for calculating total sales, expenses, profits, or resource usage.
3. AVG()
Purpose:
Calculates the average value of a numeric column.
Syntax:
SELECT AVG(salary) FROM employees;
Example:
To find the average employee salary:
SELECT AVG(salary) AS AverageSalary FROM employees;
Use Case:
Commonly used in performance reporting, financial analysis, and KPI tracking.
Real-Life Benefits of Using Aggregate Functions
Feature/Function |
Benefit |
COUNT() |
Quickly measure the volume of records |
SUM() |
Calculate total revenue, expenses, or scores |
AVG() |
Track average performance, salary, rating, etc. |
Fast Computation |
Optimized for large datasets |
Easy Integration |
Used in reports, dashboards, and business analytics |
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Top 5 FAQs on Aggregate Functions
Question |
Answer |
What is an aggregate function? |
An aggregate function performs calculations on multiple
rows and returns a single value. |
Can aggregate functions be used with GROUP BY? |
Yes, they are often used with GROUP BY to group and
summarize data. |
What does COUNT(*) do in SQL? |
It counts all rows in the result set, including NULL
values. |
Is it possible to use WHERE with aggregate functions? |
WHERE filters rows before aggregation, while HAVING
filters after. |
What is the difference between SUM() and AVG()? |
SUM() adds all values in a column; AVG() returns the
average of those values. |
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