CEIL FAQS

1. What does the Oracle CEIL function do?

The CEIL function in Oracle rounds a numeric value up to the nearest integer. If the number is already an integer, it remains unchanged. The CEIL function effectively gives you the smallest integer that is greater than or equal to the input value.

2. What is the syntax for the CEIL function?

The basic syntax for the CEIL function is:

CEIL(number)

• number: The number to be rounded up to the nearest integer.

3. Can I use the CEIL function with negative numbers?

Yes, the CEIL function works with both positive and negative numbers. For negative numbers, it rounds up towards zero, which means it rounds to the least negative integer.

For example:

SELECT CEIL(-5.5) FROM dual; -- Output: -5

4. Does the CEIL function change the result if the number is already an integer?

No, if the number is already an integer, the CEIL function does not alter it.

For example:

SELECT CEIL(4) FROM dual; -- Output: 4

5. What happens if I pass zero to the CEIL function?

If you pass 0 or 0.0, the CEIL function returns 0.

For example:

SELECT CEIL(0) FROM dual; -- Output: 0

6. Can I use CEIL with floating-point or decimal numbers?

Yes, the CEIL function is commonly used with decimal or floating-point numbers. It will round the decimal part up to the next integer.

For example:

SELECT CEIL(5.2) FROM dual; -- Output: 6

7. What is the difference between CEIL and FLOOR?

• CEIL rounds up to the nearest integer.
• FLOOR rounds down to the nearest integer.

For example:

SELECT CEIL(5.2) FROM dual;  -- Output: 6

SELECT FLOOR(5.2) FROM dual; -- Output: 5

8. Can I use CEIL with negative values?

Yes, CEIL will round up negative numbers toward zero. For example, CEIL(-5.8) will give -5.

9. What data type does CEIL return?

The CEIL function returns a NUMBER data type, representing the rounded-up integer.

10. How do I round up a result of a division using CEIL?

You can use CEIL to round up the result of a division:

SELECT CEIL(10 / 3) FROM dual; -- Output: 4

11. Can I combine CEIL with other functions in SQL?

Yes, you can combine CEIL with other functions like AVG(), SUM(), or CASE statements to get more complex results.

For example:

SELECT CEIL(AVG(order_amount)) FROM orders;

This query rounds up the average of the order amounts.

12. Is the CEIL function performance-intensive?

The CEIL function is very efficient for typical use cases. However, if applied to large datasets or complex queries, its performance can be impacted. Ensure proper indexing and optimization when using CEIL on large tables.

13. What happens if I pass a non-numeric value to the CEIL function?

The CEIL function requires numeric input. If you pass a non-numeric value, Oracle will return an error.

For example:

SELECT CEIL('abc') FROM dual; -- Error: invalid number

14. Can I use CEIL in UPDATE statements?

Yes, you can use the CEIL function in UPDATE statements to round values before saving them into a database.

For example:

UPDATE products

SET price = CEIL(price)

WHERE price < 10;

This would update all products with a price less than 10 to the next highest integer value.

15. What happens if I apply CEIL to a very large number?

The CEIL function can handle very large numbers. It will round them up to the next integer, but the result depends on the numeric precision of the system.