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);
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);
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;
