SQRT (SQL)

A numeric function that returns the square root of a given numeric expression.

Synopsis

SQRT(numeric-expression)

{fn SQRT(numeric-expression)}

Description

SQRT returns the square root of numeric-expression. The numeric-expression must be a positive number. A negative numeric-expression (other than -0) generates an SQLCODE -400 error. SQRT returns NULL if passed a NULL value.

SQRT returns a value with a precision of 36 and a scale of 18.

SQRT can be specified as a regular scalar function or as an ODBC scalar function (with the curly brace syntax).

Arguments

numeric-expression

An expression that resolves to a positive number from which the square root is calculated.

SQRT returns either the NUMERIC or DOUBLE data type. If numeric-expression is data type DOUBLE, SQRT returns DOUBLE; otherwise, it returns NUMERIC.

Examples

The following example shows the two SQRT syntax forms. Both return the square root of 49:

SELECT SQRT(49) AS SRoot,{fn SQRT(49)} AS ODBCSRoot

The following embedded SQL example returns the square roots of the integers 0 through 10:

   SET a=0
   WHILE a<11 {
   &sql(SELECT SQRT(:a) INTO :b)
   IF SQLCODE'=0 {
     WRITE !,"Error code ",SQLCODE
     QUIT }
   ELSE {
     WRITE !,"The square root of ",a," = ",b
     SET a=a+1 }
   }