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SQL MAX() function

MAX() function

The aggregate function SQL MAX() is used to find the maximum value or highest value of a certain column or expression. This function is useful to determine the largest of all selected values of a column.

Syntax:

MAX ([ALL | DISTINCT] expression ) 

DB2 and Oracle Syntax:

MAX ([ALL | DISTINCT] expression ) OVER (window_clause) 

Parameters:

Name Description
ALL Applies to all values.
DISTINCT Consider each unique value. DISTINCT is not meaningful with MAX function.
expression Expression made up of a single constant, variable, scalar function, or column name or any combination of arithmetic, bitwise, and string operators. MAX can be used with numeric, character, and datetime columns, but not with bit columns. Aggregate functions and subqueries are not permitted.

DBMS Support: COUNT() function

DBMS Command
MySQL Supported
PostgreSQL Supported
SQL Server Supported
Oracle Supported

Syntax diagram - MAX() function

Syntax diagram - MAX Function

Example:

To get maximum 'ord_amout' from the 'orders' table, the following SQL statement can be used :

Sample table: orders
   ORD_NUM ORD_AMOUNT ADVANCE_AMOUNT ORD_DATE  CUST_CODE       AGENT_CODE      ORD_DESCRIPTION
---------- ---------- -------------- --------- --------------- --------------- -----------------
    200114       3500           2000 15-AUG-08 C00002          A008
    200122       2500            400 16-SEP-08 C00003          A004
    200118        500            100 20-JUL-08 C00023          A006
    200119       4000            700 16-SEP-08 C00007          A010
    200121       1500            600 23-SEP-08 C00008          A004
    200130       2500            400 30-JUL-08 C00025          A011
    200134       4200           1800 25-SEP-08 C00004          A005
    200108       4000            600 15-FEB-08 C00008          A004
    200103       1500            700 15-MAY-08 C00021          A005
    200105       2500            500 18-JUL-08 C00025          A011
    200109       3500            800 30-JUL-08 C00011          A010
    200101       3000           1000 15-JUL-08 C00001          A008
    200111       1000            300 10-JUL-08 C00020          A008
    200104       1500            500 13-MAR-08 C00006          A004
    200106       2500            700 20-APR-08 C00005          A002
    200125       2000            600 10-OCT-08 C00018          A005
    200117        800            200 20-OCT-08 C00014          A001
    200123        500            100 16-SEP-08 C00022          A002
    200120        500            100 20-JUL-08 C00009          A002
    200116        500            100 13-JUL-08 C00010          A009
    200124        500            100 20-JUN-08 C00017          A007
    200126        500            100 24-JUN-08 C00022          A002
    200129       2500            500 20-JUL-08 C00024          A006
    200127       2500            400 20-JUL-08 C00015          A003
    200128       3500           1500 20-JUL-08 C00009          A002
    200135       2000            800 16-SEP-08 C00007          A010
    200131        900            150 26-AUG-08 C00012          A012
    200133       1200            400 29-JUN-08 C00009          A002
    200100       1000            600 08-JAN-08 C00015          A003
    200110       3000            500 15-APR-08 C00019          A010
    200107       4500            900 30-AUG-08 C00007          A010
    200112       2000            400 30-MAY-08 C00016          A007
    200113       4000            600 10-JUN-08 C00022          A002
    200102       2000            300 25-MAY-08 C00012          A012

SELECT MAX(ord_amount)  -- Selects the maximum value of the 'ord_amount' column
FROM orders;  -- Specifies the 'orders' table as the source of data

Explanation:

  • SELECT MAX(ord_amount): This is the main part of the SQL query. It uses the MAX() function to calculate the maximum value of the 'ord_amount' column in the 'orders' table. The result will be a single value representing the maximum value found in the 'ord_amount' column.
  • FROM orders: This specifies the source of the data for the query, which is the 'orders' table. The FROM keyword is used to indicate the table from which the data will be selected. In this case, it selects data from the 'orders' table.

Relational Algebra Expression:

Relational Algebra Expression: MAX() function.

Relational Algebra Tree:

Relational Algebra Tree: MAX() function.

Output:

MAX(ORD_AMOUNT)
---------------
           4500

Visual Presentation:

SQL MAX() function example

SQL MAX() with addition of two columns

To get the maximum value of (opening_amt+receive_amt) from the customer table, the following SQL statement can be used :

Sample table: customer
+-----------+-------------+-------------+--------------+--------------+-------+-------------+-------------+-------------+---------------+--------------+------------+  
|CUST_CODE  | CUST_NAME   | CUST_CITY   | WORKING_AREA | CUST_COUNTRY | GRADE | OPENING_AMT | RECEIVE_AMT | PAYMENT_AMT |OUTSTANDING_AMT| PHONE_NO     | AGENT_CODE |
+-----------+-------------+-------------+--------------+--------------+-------+-------------+-------------+-------------+---------------+--------------+------------+
| C00013    | Holmes      | London      | London       | UK           |     2 |     6000.00 |     5000.00 |     7000.00 |       4000.00 | BBBBBBB      | A003       |
| C00001    | Micheal     | New York    | New York     | USA          |     2 |     3000.00 |     5000.00 |     2000.00 |       6000.00 | CCCCCCC      | A008       |
| C00020    | Albert      | New York    | New York     | USA          |     3 |     5000.00 |     7000.00 |     6000.00 |       6000.00 | BBBBSBB      | A008       |
| C00025    | Ravindran   | Bangalore   | Bangalore    | India        |     2 |     5000.00 |     7000.00 |     4000.00 |       8000.00 | AVAVAVA      | A011       |
| C00024    | Cook        | London      | London       | UK           |     2 |     4000.00 |     9000.00 |     7000.00 |       6000.00 | FSDDSDF      | A006       |
| C00015    | Stuart      | London      | London       | UK           |     1 |     6000.00 |     8000.00 |     3000.00 |      11000.00 | GFSGERS      | A003       |
| C00002    | Bolt        | New York    | New York     | USA          |     3 |     5000.00 |     7000.00 |     9000.00 |       3000.00 | DDNRDRH      | A008       |
| C00018    | Fleming     | Brisban     | Brisban      | Australia    |     2 |     7000.00 |     7000.00 |     9000.00 |       5000.00 | NHBGVFC      | A005       |
| C00021    | Jacks       | Brisban     | Brisban      | Australia    |     1 |     7000.00 |     7000.00 |     7000.00 |       7000.00 | WERTGDF      | A005       |
| C00019    | Yearannaidu | Chennai     | Chennai      | India        |     1 |     8000.00 |     7000.00 |     7000.00 |       8000.00 | ZZZZBFV      | A010       |
| C00005    | Sasikant    | Mumbai      | Mumbai       | India        |     1 |     7000.00 |    11000.00 |     7000.00 |      11000.00 | 147-25896312 | A002       |
| C00007    | Ramanathan  | Chennai     | Chennai      | India        |     1 |     7000.00 |    11000.00 |     9000.00 |       9000.00 | GHRDWSD      | A010       |
| C00022    | Avinash     | Mumbai      | Mumbai       | India        |     2 |     7000.00 |    11000.00 |     9000.00 |       9000.00 | 113-12345678 | A002       |
| C00004    | Winston     | Brisban     | Brisban      | Australia    |     1 |     5000.00 |     8000.00 |     7000.00 |       6000.00 | AAAAAAA      | A005       |
| C00023    | Karl        | London      | London       | UK           |     0 |     4000.00 |     6000.00 |     7000.00 |       3000.00 | AAAABAA      | A006       |
| C00006    | Shilton     | Torento     | Torento      | Canada       |     1 |    10000.00 |     7000.00 |     6000.00 |      11000.00 | DDDDDDD      | A004       |
| C00010    | Charles     | Hampshair   | Hampshair    | UK           |     3 |     6000.00 |     4000.00 |     5000.00 |       5000.00 | MMMMMMM      | A009       |
| C00017    | Srinivas    | Bangalore   | Bangalore    | India        |     2 |     8000.00 |     4000.00 |     3000.00 |       9000.00 | AAAAAAB      | A007       |
| C00012    | Steven      | San Jose    | San Jose     | USA          |     1 |     5000.00 |     7000.00 |     9000.00 |       3000.00 | KRFYGJK      | A012       |
| C00008    | Karolina    | Torento     | Torento      | Canada       |     1 |     7000.00 |     7000.00 |     9000.00 |       5000.00 | HJKORED      | A004       |
| C00003    | Martin      | Torento     | Torento      | Canada       |     2 |     8000.00 |     7000.00 |     7000.00 |       8000.00 | MJYURFD      | A004       |
| C00009    | Ramesh      | Mumbai      | Mumbai       | India        |     3 |     8000.00 |     7000.00 |     3000.00 |      12000.00 | Phone No     | A002       |
| C00014    | Rangarappa  | Bangalore   | Bangalore    | India        |     2 |     8000.00 |    11000.00 |     7000.00 |      12000.00 | AAAATGF      | A001       |
| C00016    | Venkatpati  | Bangalore   | Bangalore    | India        |     2 |     8000.00 |    11000.00 |     7000.00 |      12000.00 | JRTVFDD      | A007       |
| C00011    | Sundariya   | Chennai     | Chennai      | India        |     3 |     7000.00 |    11000.00 |     7000.00 |      11000.00 | PPHGRTS      | A010       |
+-----------+-------------+-------------+--------------+--------------+-------+-------------+-------------+-------------+---------------+--------------+------------+

SELECT MAX(opening_amt + receive_amt)  -- Selects the maximum value of the sum of 'opening_amt' and 'receive_amt'
FROM customer;  -- Specifies the 'customer' table as the source of data

Explanation:

  • SELECT MAX(opening_amt + receive_amt): This is the main part of the SQL query. It calculates the sum of the 'opening_amt' and 'receive_amt' columns for each row in the 'customer' table and then selects the maximum value among these sums. The MAX() function is used to find the maximum value.
  • FROM customer: This specifies the source of the data for the query, which is the 'customer' table. The FROM keyword is used to indicate the table from which the data will be selected. In this case, it selects data from the 'customer' table.

Relational Algebra Expression:

Relational Algebra Expression: SQL MAX() with addition of two columns.

Relational Algebra Tree:

Relational Algebra Tree: SQL MAX() with addition of two columns.

Output:

MAX(OPENING_AMT+RECEIVE_AMT)
----------------------------
                       19000

Note: Outputs of the said SQL statement shown here is taken by using Oracle Database 10g Express Edition

Here is a slide presentation of all aggregate functions.

Check out our 1000+ SQL Exercises with solution and explanation to improve your skills.

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