Sql Built-In Functions

SQL BUILT–IN  FUNCTIONS  : -  Oracle provides an extensive set of built-in functions and operators for the conversion and manipulation of strings,dates and numbers.Functions are similar to operates in that they manipulate data items and return a result.
The true power of these functions is realized by nesting these functions within each other.

Classification of SQL Built-in Functions  : - The SQL Built-in functions are divided into two categories.
1 :- Single-Row or Scaler Functions.
2 :- Group or Aggregate Functions

SINGLE-ROW FUNCTIONS  : - The single-row functions act on each row of the table and return a single value for each row selected.The are also known as scaler functions.
          The syntax of single-row functions is
                                                   function_name[(arg1,arg2,....argn)]
here ‘function_name’ is the name of the function and ‘arg1,arg2,.....,argn’ are list of arguments.A function can have zero or more arguments.
The single-row functions are divided into following categories.
>Number functions
>Character functions
>Date functions
>Conversion functions

GROUP FUNCTIONS : - The group functions act on a group of rows to give a result per group or rows rather on single rows.They are also known as aggregate functions.
The group functions available in ORACLE are as follows.
>COUNT
>AVG 
>SUM
>MAX
>MIN