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SQL WHERE conditions

An SQL clause that keeps only the rows meeting a condition, such as WHERE age >= 15 or WHERE town = 'Perth'. Text goes in quotes, and AND or OR can combine conditions.

Part of: VCE Applied Computing - U1O1 - Data analysis — Module 50, VCE Data Analytics - U3O1 - Data Analytics — Module 24, VCE Data Analytics - U3O2 - Analysis and Design — Module 38, 9-10 Digital Technologies: Acquiring, storing and validating data — Module 24, IGCSE Computer Science 0478 — 9 Databases — Module 22, ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8 — Structured Data and Queries — Module 29, ACARA Digital Technologies Years 9–10 — Entities, Relationships and Queries — Module 27, QCE Digital Solutions Unit 2 — Data and Programming Techniques — Module 62, QCE Digital Solutions Unit 2 — Prototype Data Solutions — Module 29, QCE Digital Solutions Unit 3 — Interactions Between Users, Data and Digital Systems — Module 98, QCE Digital Solutions Unit 3 — Innovative Digital Solutions — Module 28, QCE Digital Solutions Unit 4 — Prototype Digital Data Exchanges — Module 66, WA Computer Science ATAR Year 11 — Data Management — Module 61

Understanding SQL WHERE conditions in VCE Spreadsheets, SQL & Visualisation

What it does: Text such as Maths goes inside single quotes so SQL treats it as a value, not a column name. With AND, a student must be at least 15 and in Year 10 to be included in the results. The 'greater than or equal to' operator is written >= in SQL. => is not a valid comparison operator. WHERE filters the rows. Only records where the condition is true are included in the results. AND means both conditions must be true. OR would also include Year 9 students who are 16 or over, or Year 10 students who are younger than 16.

Common mistakes: WHILE is not an SQL clause. The keyword that filters rows by a condition is WHERE, so the line should be SELECT name FROM pets WHERE. => is not a valid comparison operator. 'Greater than or equal to' is written >=, so the line should be AND age >= 15;.

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 45–54) and word search (Modules 35–54).

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Learning

Duo

Which query keeps only students who are 15 or older?

SELECT * FROM students WHERE age => 15;SELECT * FROM students WHERE age >= 15;

Matches

SELECT * FROM students WHERE town = Perth;

↓

The text value Perth is missing quotes. It should be 'Perth'.

Applying

Meanings

Term

WHERE

Meaning

An SQL clause that keeps only the rows meeting a condition, such as WHERE age >= 15 or WHERE town = 'Perth'. Text goes in quotes, and AND or OR can combine conditions.

Practice

SELECT name, age

Testing

Gaps

SELECT * FROM students age >= 15;

Check Answer

Spots

1SELECT name FROM pets WHILE

2age > 3 AND type = 'dog'

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Quick Questions

1. Which query keeps only students who are 15 or older?

A. SELECT * FROM students WHERE age >= 15; ✓

B. SELECT * FROM students WHERE age => 15;

The 'greater than or equal to' operator is written >= in SQL. => is not a valid comparison operator.

2. Which WHERE condition correctly matches students who live in Perth?

A. WHERE town = Perth

B. WHERE town = 'Perth' ✓

Text values must be placed in quotes. Without quotes, SQL thinks Perth is a column name and gives an error.

3. True or false: WHERE keeps only the rows that meet the condition.

A. False

B. True ✓

WHERE filters the rows. Only records where the condition is true are included in the results.

4. Which query finds students in Year 10 AND aged 16 or over?

A. WHERE year = 10 AND age >= 16 ✓

B. WHERE year = 10 OR age >= 16

AND means both conditions must be true. OR would also include Year 9 students who are 16 or over, or Year 10 students who are younger than 16.

5. Which query finds students who play either 'Netball' or 'Soccer'?

A. WHERE sport = 'Netball' OR sport = 'Soccer' ✓

B. WHERE sport = 'Netball' AND sport = 'Soccer'

One row can't have two different values in the same field, so AND would return nothing. OR keeps rows that match either condition.

Match the Pairs

SELECT * FROM students WHERE age >= 15; → Shows only the students who are 15 or older

WHERE town = 'Perth' OR town = 'Darwin' → Keeps rows where the town is either Perth or Darwin

Text values in a WHERE condition must be wrapped in quotes → WHERE subject = 'Maths'

AND keeps a row only when both conditions are true → WHERE age >= 15 AND year = 10

SELECT * FROM students WHERE town = Perth; → The text value Perth is missing quotes. It should be 'Perth'.

SELECT * FROM students WHERE age => 15; → The comparison operator is written backwards. It should be >= not =>.

Key Term

WHERE

An SQL clause that keeps only the rows meeting a condition, such as WHERE age >= 15 or WHERE town = 'Perth'. Text goes in quotes, and AND or OR can combine conditions.

Fill in the Blanks

1. SELECT * FROM students WHERE age >= 15;

Hint: Type the clause keyword that keeps only the rows meeting a condition.

2. SELECT name FROM students WHERE age >= 15;

Hint: Type the comparison operator meaning greater than or equal to.

3. SELECT * FROM students WHERE town = 'Perth' AND age >= 15;

Hint: Type the keyword that requires both conditions to be true.

4. SELECT name FROM students WHERE town = 'Perth' OR town = 'Hobart';

Hint: Type the keyword that keeps a row if either condition is true.

5. SELECT title FROM books WHERE price < 20;

Hint: Type the comparison operator meaning less than.

Spot the Error

Question 1

A SELECT name FROM pets WHILE

B age > 3 AND type = 'dog'

C ORDER BY name;

Line A — WHILE is not an SQL clause. The keyword that filters rows by a condition is WHERE, so the line should be SELECT name FROM pets WHERE.

Question 2

A SELECT name, town

B FROM students

C WHERE town = 'Perth'

D AND age => 15;

Line D — => is not a valid comparison operator. 'Greater than or equal to' is written >=, so the line should be AND age >= 15;

Question 3

A SELECT name

B FROM players

C WHERE score > 50

D AND team = Reds;

Line D — Text values must be in quotes. Without them SQL treats Reds as a column name. It should be AND team = 'Reds';

Question 4

A SELECT * movies

B WHERE year >= 2010

C AND genre = 'comedy';

Line A — The FROM keyword is missing, so SQL does not know which table to read. It should be SELECT * FROM movies.

Question 5

A SELECT name FROM staff

B WHERE role == 'Tutor'

C OR role = 'Coach';

Line B — SQL tests equality with a single = sign, not ==. The line should be WHERE role = 'Tutor'.

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