Describe the difference between the RETAIN statement and the SUM statement in SAS.

1 Answers
Answered by suresh

The Difference Between RETAIN and SUM Statement in SAS

Focus Keyword: SAS

In SAS, the RETAIN statement is used to retain the value of a variable from one iteration of the data step to the next. This means that the variable's value will not be reset to missing at the beginning of each iteration. It is commonly used for carrying forward values or creating lag variables.

On the other hand, the SUM statement is used in SAS to calculate the sum of numeric variables in a data set. It is typically used with the BY statement to calculate sums by groups.

In summary, the main difference between the RETAIN and SUM statement in SAS is that the RETAIN statement retains the value of a variable across iterations, while the SUM statement is used to calculate the sum of numeric variables.

Answer for Question: Describe the difference between the RETAIN statement and the SUM statement in SAS.