PROC MEANS

[Quodly]

Is there any difference between the _freq_ variable and the N output statistic?

[Reeza · Accepted solution]

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@Quodly wrote:

Is there any difference between the _freq_ variable and the N output statistic?

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Yes, if you have missing values. 

N is the count of non missing, frequency is the count of all values. 

NMISS+N = _FREQ_.

data class;
set sashelp.class;
if age in (13, 14, 15) then call missing(weight);
run;

proc means data=class;
class sex;
var weight;
output out=want sum= mean= N= NMISS=/ autoname;
run;

[PGStats]

There is a difference when missing values are present in your VAR variable or when you specify a FREQ variable. A simple example:

data test;
input f x;
datalines;
1   1
1   .
5   .
.   2
;

proc means data=test;
var x;
freq f;
output out=want n=n;
run;

proc print data=want; run;

                            Obs    _TYPE_    _FREQ_    n

                             1        0         7      1