| Introduction | MTB Statements | File System | Compiler | Applications | Reference Guide | Index |
| Language Structure | Data Division | I/O Format Division | Procedure Division | Mnemonics |
| Syntax: | SGN(numeric-argument) |
| Discussion: |
The SGN function returns the sign (positive, negative or zero) of
a numeric value according to the following chart:
Numeric-argument Value returned ====================================== positive 1 zero 0 negative 1-The numeric-argument may be a numeric constant, a single-element numeric variable, a numeric array element, a numeric expression, or a numeric function. The intermediate result of the SGN function is stored in a numeric accumulator with a length and precision of 16.0 If this intermediate result is moved to a receiving numeric variable, its precision is automatically adjusted to the defined precision of that variable. |
| Example: |
A = SGN(B)In the above example, the sign of the value stored in the variable B is moved to the variable A. For example, if B equals 25, A will equal 1. Likewise, if B equals -25, A will equal -1, and if B equals 0, A will also equal 0. |