Compare rank() and dense_rank()
SQL> CREATE TABLE EMP (EMPNO NUMBER(4) NOT NULL, 2 ENAME VARCHAR2(10), 3 JOB VARCHAR2(9), 4 MGR NUMBER(4), 5 HIREDATE DATE, 6 SAL NUMBER(7, 2), 7 COMM NUMBER(7, 2), 8 DEPTNO NUMBER(2)); Table created. SQL> SQL> INSERT INTO EMP VALUES (7369, 'SMITH', 'CLERK', 7902, TO_DATE('17-DEC-1980', 'DD-MON-YYYY'), 800, NULL, 20); 1 row created. SQL> INSERT INTO EMP VALUES (7499, 'ALLEN', 'SALESMAN', 7698, TO_DATE('20-FEB-1981', 'DD-MON-YYYY'), 1600, 300, 30); 1 row created. SQL> INSERT INTO EMP VALUES (7521, 'WARD', 'SALESMAN', 7698, TO_DATE('22-FEB-1981', 'DD-MON-YYYY'), 1250, 500, 30); 1 row created. SQL> INSERT INTO EMP VALUES (7566, 'JONES', 'MANAGER', 7839, TO_DATE('2-APR-1981', 'DD-MON-YYYY'), 2975, NULL, 20); 1 row created. SQL> INSERT INTO EMP VALUES (7654, 'MARTIN', 'SALESMAN', 7698,TO_DATE('28-SEP-1981', 'DD-MON-YYYY'), 1250, 1400, 30); 1 row created. SQL> INSERT INTO EMP VALUES (7698, 'BLAKE', 'MANAGER', 7839,TO_DATE('1-MAY-1981', 'DD-MON-YYYY'), 2850, NULL, 30); 1 row created. SQL> INSERT INTO EMP VALUES (7782, 'CLARK', 'MANAGER', 7839,TO_DATE('9-JUN-1981', 'DD-MON-YYYY'), 2450, NULL, 10); 1 row created. SQL> INSERT INTO EMP VALUES (7788, 'SCOTT', 'ANALYST', 7566,TO_DATE('09-DEC-1982', 'DD-MON-YYYY'), 3000, NULL, 20); 1 row created. SQL> INSERT INTO EMP VALUES (7839, 'KING', 'PRESIDENT', NULL,TO_DATE('17-NOV-1981', 'DD-MON-YYYY'), 5000, NULL, 10); 1 row created. SQL> INSERT INTO EMP VALUES (7844, 'TURNER', 'SALESMAN', 7698,TO_DATE('8-SEP-1981', 'DD-MON-YYYY'), 1500, 0, 30); 1 row created. SQL> INSERT INTO EMP VALUES (7876, 'ADAMS', 'CLERK', 7788,TO_DATE('12-JAN-1983', 'DD-MON-YYYY'), 1100, NULL, 20); 1 row created. SQL> INSERT INTO EMP VALUES (7900, 'JAMES', 'CLERK', 7698,TO_DATE('3-DEC-1981', 'DD-MON-YYYY'), 950, NULL, 30); 1 row created. SQL> INSERT INTO EMP VALUES (7902, 'FORD', 'ANALYST', 7566,TO_DATE('3-DEC-1981', 'DD-MON-YYYY'), 3000, NULL, 20); 1 row created. SQL> INSERT INTO EMP VALUES (7934, 'MILLER', 'CLERK', 7782,TO_DATE('23-JAN-1982', 'DD-MON-YYYY'), 1300, NULL, 10); 1 row created. SQL> SQL> CREATE TABLE DEPT (DEPTNO NUMBER(2),DNAME VARCHAR2(14),LOC VARCHAR2(13) ); Table created. SQL> SQL> INSERT INTO DEPT VALUES (10, 'ACCOUNTING', 'NEW YORK'); 1 row created. SQL> INSERT INTO DEPT VALUES (20, 'RESEARCH', 'DALLAS'); 1 row created. SQL> INSERT INTO DEPT VALUES (30, 'SALES', 'CHICAGO'); 1 row created. SQL> INSERT INTO DEPT VALUES (40, 'OPERATIONS', 'BOSTON'); 1 row created. SQL> SQL> select rank() over ( order by hiredate ) "RANK", 2 dense_rank() over ( order by hiredate ) "DENSE_RANK", 3 ename,hiredate 4 from emp order by hiredate; RANK DENSE_RANK ENAME HIREDATE ---------- ---------- ---------- --------- 1 1 SMITH 17-DEC-80 2 2 ALLEN 20-FEB-81 3 3 WARD 22-FEB-81 4 4 JONES 02-APR-81 5 5 BLAKE 01-MAY-81 6 6 CLARK 09-JUN-81 7 7 TURNER 08-SEP-81 8 8 MARTIN 28-SEP-81 9 9 KING 17-NOV-81 10 10 JAMES 03-DEC-81 10 10 FORD 03-DEC-81 RANK DENSE_RANK ENAME HIREDATE ---------- ---------- ---------- --------- 12 11 MILLER 23-JAN-82 13 12 SCOTT 09-DEC-82 14 13 ADAMS 12-JAN-83 14 rows selected. SQL> SQL> drop table emp cascade constraints; Table dropped. SQL> drop table dept cascade constraints; Table dropped.