If you use a character variable with an operator that requires numeric operands, such as the plus sign, SAS converts the character variable to numeric. If you use a comparison operator, such as the ...
1If not explicitly defined, a variable's type and length are implicitly defined by its first occurrence in a DATA step. 2The minimum length is 2 bytes in some operating environments, 3 in others. See ...
Non-alphabetic or non-numeric character, such as @, #, $, %, &, * and +. Also called a "symbol." See alphanumeric and Win typing special characters. THIS DEFINITION IS FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY. All other ...