Rounds a number up — to the nearest integer that isn't smaller than it.
CEIL(<number>)
CEILING(<number>)
Any fractional part lifts the number to the next integer: 4.1 becomes 5. An integer stays as it is. CEILING is the same thing with a longer name. Most often it's used to count how many pages, boxes or payments you need.
orders
| id | created_at | amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2026-07-03 10:15:00 | 120.50 |
| 2 | 2026-07-28 18:40:00 | 80.25 |
| 3 | 2026-08-09 09:05:00 | 199.99 |
| 4 | 2026-08-21 14:30:00 | 45.00 |
| 5 | 2026-09-02 11:00:00 | 64.75 |
These tables already exist in the sandbox — the examples below use them. Want to try this in your own database? Copy the SQL.
| up | whole | negative |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 4 | -4 |
| order_count | pages |
|---|---|
| 5 | 3 |
We divide by 2.0, not 2 — the reason is explained under “Watch out”.
Integer division drops the fractional part before CEIL even runs: CEIL(5 / 2) gives 2, because 5 / 2 is already 2. Make one of the numbers fractional: CEIL(5 / 2.0) gives 3.
For negative numbers, “up” means closer to zero: CEIL(-4.1) gives -4, not -5.