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MySQL INTERVAL Operator

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The MySQL Interval Operator uses the binary search method to search the items and returns the values from 0 to N. In this article, we show how to use the MySQL Interval Operator with multiple examples.

MySQL Interval Operator Syntax

The basic syntax of the interval in MySQL is:

SELECT INTERVAL (N, N1, N2, N3,....Nn)

If N < N1, then 0 is returned. N < N2 means 1, N < N3 means 2 etc. This Interval function requires the arguments in ascending order. I mean, N1 < N2 < N3 < N4…….< Nn. Otherwise, it won’t work.

MySQL Interval Example

In this example, we are using the same values from N1 to N7. However, we are changing the N values to check the interval position.

SELECT INTERVAL(45, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70);

SELECT INTERVAL(11, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70);

SELECT INTERVAL(67, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70);

OUTPUT

MySQL INTERVAL Operator 1

Within the first statement, we used the N value less than N1 so, it returned 0. Next, we used the N Value greater than N7 so, 7 has returned. Within the third statement, we used NULL as N. This is the reason, MySQL has returned -1.

SELECT INTERVAL(6, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70);

SELECT INTERVAL(98, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70);

SELECT INTERVAL(NULL, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70);

OUTPUT

MySQL INTERVAL Operator 2

MySQL Interval Operator Example 2

The following query finds the interval position of a Customer based on the value 76000. First, 76000 act as N and employee income as N1. Next, Income acts as N and 76000 as N1.

Here, we used Order By clause to sort the Income in ascending order; otherwise, the Interval function won’t work.

SELECT EmpID, 
       `First Name`,
       `Last Name`,
       Qualification,
       Occupation,
       Income,
       INTERVAL(76000, Income) AS Res1,
       INTERVAL(Income, 76000) AS Res2,
       Sales
 FROM `MySQL Tutorial`.customer
 ORDER BY Income ASC;

OUTPUT

MySQL INTERVAL Operator 3