Syntax error

[Stepik]

Dear community,

I have been trying to apply the next formula in SAS:

b = (0.11852-0.05478*log(pd))^2.

Unfortunately, the log is giving me the following, not sure how to deal with it:

                                                                       b = (0.11852-0.05478*log(pd))^2
                                                                                     _
                                                                                     22
                                                                                     76
ERROR 22-322: Syntax error, expecting one of the following: ;, !, !!, &, *, **, +, -, /, <, <=, <>, =, >, ><, >=, AND, EQ, GE, GT, 
              IN, LE, LT, NE, NOTIN, OR, ^<, ^=, ^>, |, ||, ~<, ~=, ~>.  
ERROR 76-322: Syntax error, statement will be ignored.

Could you please suggest?

Stefan

[Tom · Accepted solution]

Your log message looks misaligned.  Did you accidentally insert literal TAB characters into your source code?

379  data test;
380    pd=10;
381    b = (0.11852-0.05478*log(pd))^2. ;
                                     --
                                     22
                                     76
ERROR 22-322: Syntax error, expecting one of the following: <, <=, =, >, >=, EQ, GE, GT, LE, LT, NE, NG, NL, ^=, ~=.

ERROR 76-322: Syntax error, statement will be ignored.

382    put pd= b=;
383  run;

What did you think the ^ character would mean in that location?

The NOT operator is unary operator and not a binary operator.

Did you want to raise the value to the power of 2?  If so use the ** operator.

384  data test;
385    pd=10;
386    b = (0.11852-0.05478*log(pd))**2. ;
387    put pd= b=;
388  run;

pd=10 b=0.0000579975

[ballardw]

Show the entire Procedure or data step code, not just the line with the error.

Quite often some errors are caused by issues related to other lines above the reported problem.

The text of that message is sort of implying that an OPERATION is expected some where.

If I use a shorter line of code than you used I get this error:

12   data junk;
13    b = (0.11852-0.05478*log(pd))^2;
                                    -
                                    22
                                    76
ERROR 22-322: Syntax error, expecting one of the following: <, <=, =, >,
              >=, EQ, GE, GT, LE, LT, NE, NG, NL, ^=, ~=.

ERROR 76-322: Syntax error, statement will be ignored.

14   run;

Which indicates the problem is where the 2 appears.

You may need to use ** instead of ^ for exponentiation. ^ is a "not" operator.

15   data junk;
16    b = (0.11852-0.05478*log(pd))** 2;
17   run;

NOTE: Variable pd is uninitialized.
NOTE: Missing values were generated as a result of performing an operation
      on missing values.
      Each place is given by: (Number of times) at (Line):(Column).
      1 at 16:22   1 at 16:23

No error, just note about no value for Pd, which is expected.

[Kurt_Bremser]

Please post the log of the whole statement, from the previous semicolon which ends the preceding statement up to the semicolon which ends this statement.