What is the purpose of the MAX function in SQL?

In SQL, the MAX function is used to select the largest value from a specified column and return that value. It can be used for numerical, date, or text columns.

For example, here are some examples using the MAX function:

1. Retrieve the maximum value from the numerical column.

SELECT MAX(salary) FROM employees;

1. Return the latest date in the date column.

SELECT MAX(hire_date) FROM employees;

1. Return the last value in the text column in alphabetical order.

SELECT MAX(last_name) FROM employees;

The MAX function can be used in combination with other SQL functions, such as GROUP BY, to select the maximum value within each group. It can also be used with other SQL conditions, like WHERE, to choose the maximum value based on specific criteria.