Numeric functions

Numeric functions can be used in any numeric expression on IF, SELECT IF, DO IF, ELSE IF, LOOP IF, END LOOP IF, and COMPUTE commands. Numeric functions always return numbers (or the system-missing value whenever the result is indeterminate). The expression to be transformed by a function is called the argument. Most functions have a variable or a list of variables as arguments.

• In numeric functions with two or more arguments, each argument must be separated by a comma. Blanks alone cannot be used to separate variable names, expressions, or constants in transformation expressions.
• Arguments should be enclosed in parentheses, as in TRUNC(INCOME), where the TRUNC function returns the integer portion of the variable INCOME.
• Multiple arguments should be separated by commas, as in MEAN(Q1,Q2,Q3), where the MEAN function returns the mean of variables Q1, Q2, and Q3.

Example

COMPUTE Square_Root = SQRT(var4).
COMPUTE Remainder = MOD(var4, 3).
COMPUTE Average = MEAN.3(var1, var2, var3, var4).
COMPUTE Trunc_Mean = TRUNC(MEAN(var1 TO var4)).

• SQRT(var4) returns the square root of the value of var4 for each case.
• MOD(var4, 3) returns the remainder (modulus) from dividing the value of var4 by 3.
• MEAN.3(var1, var2, var3, var4) returns the mean of the four specified variables, provided that at least three of them have nonmissing values. The divisor for the calculation of the mean is the number of nonmissing values.
• TRUNC(MEAN(var1 TO var4)) computes the mean of the values for the inclusive range of variables and then truncates the result. Since no minimum number of nonmissing values is specified for the function, a mean will be calculated (and truncated) as long as at least one of the variables has a nonmissing value for that case.