# NTILE

## Syntax

```sql
NTILE (expr) OVER ( 
  [ PARTITION BY partition_expression ] 
  [ ORDER BY order_list ]
)
```

## Description

`NTILE()` is a [window function](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/sql-functions/special-functions/window-functions) that returns an integer indicating which group a given row falls into. The number of groups is specified in the argument (*expr*), starting at one. Ordered rows in the partition are divided into the specified number of groups with as equal a size as possible.

## Examples

```sql
create table t1 (
    pk int primary key,
    a int,
    b int
  );

insert into t1 values
    (11 , 0, 10),
    (12 , 0, 10),
    (13 , 1, 10),
    (14 , 1, 10),
    (18 , 2, 10),
    (15 , 2, 20),
    (16 , 2, 20),
    (17 , 2, 20),
    (19 , 4, 20),
    (20 , 4, 20);

select pk, a, b,
    ntile(1) over (order by pk)
  from t1;
+----+------+------+-----------------------------+
| pk | a    | b    | ntile(1) over (order by pk) |
+----+------+------+-----------------------------+
| 11 |    0 |   10 |                           1 |
| 12 |    0 |   10 |                           1 |
| 13 |    1 |   10 |                           1 |
| 14 |    1 |   10 |                           1 |
| 15 |    2 |   20 |                           1 |
| 16 |    2 |   20 |                           1 |
| 17 |    2 |   20 |                           1 |
| 18 |    2 |   10 |                           1 |
| 19 |    4 |   20 |                           1 |
| 20 |    4 |   20 |                           1 |
+----+------+------+-----------------------------+

select pk, a, b,
    ntile(4) over (order by pk)
 from t1;
+----+------+------+-----------------------------+
| pk | a    | b    | ntile(4) over (order by pk) |
+----+------+------+-----------------------------+
| 11 |    0 |   10 |                           1 |
| 12 |    0 |   10 |                           1 |
| 13 |    1 |   10 |                           1 |
| 14 |    1 |   10 |                           2 |
| 15 |    2 |   20 |                           2 |
| 16 |    2 |   20 |                           2 |
| 17 |    2 |   20 |                           3 |
| 18 |    2 |   10 |                           3 |
| 19 |    4 |   20 |                           4 |
| 20 |    4 |   20 |                           4 |
+----+------+------+-----------------------------+
```

<sub>*This page is licensed: CC BY-SA / Gnu FDL*</sub>

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