Math Forum / Math Software / SAS / July 2009

Didn't fully understand what you needed.
so further explaination maybe needed for example
Where does the 2007 come from and what do mean by use it as a base,
and what is the ratio of.

If the problem is as simple as you describe, you may be able to solve it
with something like:

data have;
 input year variable1;
 cards;
2007  10
2009  5
2009  3
;

data want (drop=base);
 set have;
 retain base;
 if year eq 2007 then do;
   base=variable1;
 end;
 ratio=variable1/base;
run;

HTH,
Art
---------

I second Art's suggestion about using a retain statement.

Another way to write the if statement would be

if _n_ = 1 then base = variable1;

This assumes that you always want to use the first observation as the
divisor.

Nat Wooding
Environmental Specialist III
Dominion, Environmental Biology
4111 Castlewood Rd
Richmond, VA 23234
Phone:804-271-5313, Fax: 804-271-2977
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            Arthur Tabachneck
            <art297@NETSCAPE.
            NET>                                                       To
            Sent by: "SAS(r)          SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
            Discussion"                                                cc
            <SAS-L@LISTSERV.U
            GA.EDU>                                               Subject
                                      Re: a very simple question: base

            07/03/2009 10:23
            AM

            Please respond to
            Arthur Tabachneck
            <art297@NETSCAPE.
                  NET>

If the problem is as simple as you describe, you may be able to solve it
with something like:

data have;
 input year variable1;
 cards;
2007  10
2009  5
2009  3
;

data want (drop=base);
 set have;
 retain base;
 if year eq 2007 then do;
   base=variable1;
 end;
 ratio=variable1/base;
run;

HTH,
Art
---------

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