SQL Server MAX() Function

In SQL Server, the MAX() function is an aggregate function used to calculate the maximum value in a specified column or expression.

Syntax

The basic syntax of the MAX() function is as follows:

MAX(expression)

where expression is the column or expression to calculate the maximum value.

Usage

The MAX() function is typically used to calculate the maximum value in a specified column. For example, it can be used to find the maximum order amount, highest sales revenue, or maximum inventory level in a table.

Examples

Here are two examples of using the MAX() function.

Example 1

Suppose we have the following sales table:

order_id	customer_id	order_total
1	1001	50
2	1002	75
3	1001	100
4	1003	125

The following SQL statement can be used to calculate the maximum order amount in the orders table:

SELECT MAX(order_total) AS max_order_total
FROM orders;

The result is:

max_order_total
125

Example 2

Suppose we have the following products table:

product_id	product_name	unit_price
1	Product A	10.5
2	Product B	15.2
3	Product C	12.8
4	Product D	9.9

The following SQL statement can be used to calculate the maximum unit price in the products table:

SELECT MAX(unit_price) AS max_unit_price
FROM products;