SIGN (Transact-SQL)

Applies to: 👁 Image
SQL Server 👁 Image
Azure SQL Database 👁 Image
Azure SQL Managed Instance 👁 Image
Azure Synapse Analytics 👁 Image
Analytics Platform System (PDW) 👁 Image
SQL analytics endpoint in Microsoft Fabric 👁 Image
Warehouse in Microsoft Fabric 👁 Image
SQL database in Microsoft Fabric

Returns the positive (+1), zero (0), or negative (-1) sign of the specified expression.

👁 Image
Transact-SQL syntax conventions

Syntax

SIGN ( numeric_expression ) 

Arguments

numeric_expression
Is an expression of the exact numeric or approximate numeric data type category, except for the bit data type.

Return Types

Examples

The following example returns the SIGN values of numbers from -1 to 1.

DECLARE @value REAL 
SET @value = -1 
WHILE @value < 2 
 BEGIN 
 SELECT SIGN(@value) 
 SET NOCOUNT ON 
 SELECT @value = @value + 1 
 SET NOCOUNT OFF 
 END 
SET NOCOUNT OFF 
GO 

Here's the result set.

(1 row(s) affected) 
 
------------------------ 
-1.0 
 
(1 row(s) affected) 
 
------------------------ 
0.0 
 
(1 row(s) affected) 
 
------------------------ 
1.0 
 
(1 row(s) affected) 

Examples: Azure Synapse Analytics and Analytics Platform System (PDW)

The following example returns the SIGN values of three numbers.

SELECT SIGN(-125), SIGN(0), SIGN(564); 

Here's the result set.

----- ----- ----- 
-1 0 1

See Also

Mathematical Functions (Transact-SQL)