Splitting a numerical variable

[catch18]

Hi,

I have a numerical variable BA_car which has 40 observations. The observations are all in decimals e.g. BA_car = 39.32. I want to split the numbers 39.32 under two new variable names (months, weeks) so that the new variable months = 39 and weeks =32. I was trying my code below for months first but it did not work. Any suggestions?

data cars;

set Theresa.cars;

if BA_car = . then months = .;

else if BA_car = months.weeks then months = months;

run;

Thanks.

[andreas_lds]

This is a very interesting way to store months and weeks ...

You have to convert the number to string, then use scan function with . as separator to extract the parts left and right of the dot.

[andreas_lds · Accepted solution]

You don't have to convert the number to a string, you could use some basic operations:

month = int(BA_Car);
week = int((BA_Car - month) * 100);

[PeterClemmensen]

@andreas_lds, I like the idea of not converting here, but what if BA_car=39.3 ?

[andreas_lds]

---

@PeterClemmensen wrote:

@andreas_lds, I like the idea of not converting here, but what if BA_car=39.3 ?

---

Well ... the result will be wrong if the "basic-ops" solution is used ... i really should have a cup of coffee before posting  😉

[catch18]

Many thanks andreas_ids.

[SASKiwi]

Something like this?

data cars;
set Theresa.cars;
if BA_car = . then months = .;
else do;
  months = int(BA_car);
  weeks = mod(BA_car, 1) * 100;
end;
run;

[catch18]

Thank you.

[SASKiwi]

This might be better for the 39.3 case:

data _null_;
BA_car = 39.3;
  months = int(BA_car);
  weeks = mod(BA_car, 1);
  if mod(weeks * 100, 10) = 0 then weeks = weeks * 10;
  else weeks = weeks * 100;
  put _all_;
 run; 

 

[ballardw]

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@catch18 wrote:

Hi,

I have a numerical variable BA_car which has 40 observations. The observations are all in decimals e.g. BA_car = 39.32. I want to split the numbers 39.32 under two new variable names (months, weeks) so that the new variable months = 39 and weeks =32. I was trying my code below for months first but it did not work. Any suggestions?

data cars;

set Theresa.cars;

if BA_car = . then months = .;

else if BA_car = months.weeks then months = months;

run;

Thanks.

---

Don't read such variables as numeric as .3 and .31 differ buy more than ".01" if I understand you description. 39.3 would seem to be "3 weeks". Or is your data going to have 3 weeks as .03? You have provided an incomplete description of your values.

Read as character an split using Input and Scan functions.