Oracle MOD Function: A Simple Guide

The MOD function in Oracle SQL is a mathematical function that returns the remainder of one number divided by another. It's also known as the "modulus" function.

This function is extremely useful for tasks like determining if a number is odd or even, or for calculations that need to "wrap around."

What is the MOD Function in Oracle?

The MOD(n2, n1) function answers the question: "What is left over after n2 is divided by n1?"

• MOD(10, 3) returns 1 (because 10 divided by 3 is 3 with a remainder of 1).
• MOD(10, 2) returns 0 (because 10 divided by 2 is 5 with a remainder of 0).
• MOD(5, 10) returns 5 (because 10 goes into 5 zero times, with a remainder of 5).

MOD Function Syntax

The syntax for MOD requires two arguments:

MOD(n2, n1)

Let's break that down:

• n2 (the dividend): The number to be divided.
• n1 (the divisor): The number to divide by.

Oracle MOD Function Examples

Here are two practical examples of how to use MOD.

Example 1: Finding a Simple Remainder using MOD

This example calculates the remainder of 11 divided by 4.

Query:

SELECT 
  MOD(11, 4) AS "Remainder"
FROM DUAL;

Result:

 Remainder
----------
         3

(11 divided by 4 is 2, with 3 left over.)

Example 2: Checking for an Even or Odd Number with MOD

A very common use of MOD is to check if a number is even or odd. Any number that has a remainder of 0 when divided by 2 is even.

Query:

SELECT 
  MOD(17, 2) AS "Odd_Check",
  MOD(18, 2) AS "Even_Check"
FROM DUAL;

Result:

 Odd_Check  Even_Check
----------  ----------
         1           0

This result shows 17 is odd (remainder 1) and 18 is even (remainder 0).