finding the nearest value to zero

[vivianclmnz]

i need to get the values nearer to zero, for example in the below data, i need the fifth to eighth values which are the four (as required) nearest values to zero, plz help me with it, is there any specific function for it?

0.02253

0.01909

0.01545

0.01162

0.00758

0.00333

-0.00111

-0.00576

-0.01061

-0.01566

-0.02091

[LinusH]

ABS will help sort the data without regarding if it's negative or not.

[UrvishShah]

Hi,

I am not aware about any function which will extract the values nearer to zero...However the following code might help you...

data have;

   input num;

   cards4;

0.02253

0.01909

0.01545

0.01162

0.00758

0.00333

-0.00111

-0.00576

-0.01061

-0.01566

-0.02091

0

;;;;

proc sort data = have out = want;

   by num;

run;

data _null_;

  set want;

  if num = 0 then do;

      call symput("obs1",_n_ - 2);

      call symput("obs2",_n_ + 2);

  end;

run;

data want;

  set want(firstobs = &obs1. obs = &obs2.);

run;

-Urvish

[Vince28_Statcan]

There are multiple alternatives.

The simplest mathematical approach is to use abs function to sort and just keep top 4. I'd use a proc sql order by to sort so as to avoid having to create a new variable with the absolute values

proc sql;

     create table have as

     select *

     from have

     order by abs(yourcolumnname);

quit;

data want;

     set have(obs=4);

run;