WHERE with IN list in SQL - Interactive Code Practice

Practice - 5 Tasks

1fill in blank

easy

Complete the code to select all employees whose department is in the given list.

SQL

SELECT * FROM employees WHERE department [1] ('Sales', 'HR', 'IT');

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

AIN

B=

CLIKE

DBETWEEN

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using '=' instead of 'IN' causes the query to check only one value.

Using 'LIKE' is for pattern matching, not list membership.

The IN keyword is used to check if a value matches any value in a list.

2fill in blank

medium

Complete the code to find products with IDs in the specified list.

SQL

SELECT name FROM products WHERE product_id [1] (101, 102, 103);

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A=

BIN

CBETWEEN

DLIKE

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using '=' only compares to one value, not a list.

Using 'BETWEEN' requires a range, not a list.

The IN clause allows filtering rows where the column matches any value in the list.

3fill in blank

hard

Fix the error in the query to correctly filter customers from specific cities.

SQL

SELECT * FROM customers WHERE city [1] ('New York', 'Chicago', 'Boston');

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A=

BLIKE

CIN

DBETWEEN

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using '=' causes the query to check only one city.

Using 'LIKE' is for pattern matching, not list membership.

The IN keyword is needed to check if city matches any in the list.

4fill in blank

hard

Fill both blanks to select orders with status in the list and amount greater than 100.

SQL

SELECT * FROM orders WHERE status [1] ('Pending', 'Shipped') AND amount [2] 100;

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

AIN

B>

C<

D=

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using '=' instead of 'IN' for list filtering.

Using '<' instead of '>' for amount comparison.

Use IN to filter status in the list and > to check amount greater than 100.

5fill in blank

hard

Fill all three blanks to select employees with role in the list, salary above 50000, and department not 'HR'.

SQL

SELECT * FROM employees WHERE role [1] ('Manager', 'Developer') AND salary [2] 50000 AND department [3] 'HR';

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

AIN

B>

C!=

D=

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using '=' instead of 'IN' for list filtering.

Using '<' instead of '>' for salary.

Using '=' instead of '!=' to exclude department.

Use IN for role list, > for salary comparison, and != to exclude 'HR' department.

Practice

1. What does the SQL clause WHERE column_name IN (value1, value2, value3) do?

easy

A. It selects rows where column_name matches any value in the list.

B. It updates rows with values in the list.

C. It deletes rows not matching the list.

D. It creates a new table with listed values.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the IN clause purpose

   The IN clause checks if a column's value matches any value inside the parentheses list.

2. Step 2: Identify the effect on row selection

   Rows with the column value equal to any listed value are selected; others are ignored.

3. Final Answer:

   It selects rows where column_name matches any value in the list. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   WHERE with IN filters rows by listed values [OK]

Hint: IN checks if value matches any in the list [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking IN updates or deletes rows
• Confusing IN with creating tables
• Assuming IN matches all values at once

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to select rows where status is either 'active', 'pending', or 'closed'?

easy

A. SELECT * FROM orders WHERE status = IN ('active', 'pending', 'closed');

B. SELECT * FROM orders WHERE status IN ('active', 'pending', 'closed');

C. SELECT * FROM orders WHERE status IN 'active', 'pending', 'closed';

D. SELECT * FROM orders WHERE status IN ('active' 'pending' 'closed');

Solution

1. Step 1: Check correct use of IN syntax

   The correct syntax is column_name IN (value1, value2, ...) without an equals sign.

2. Step 2: Identify correct punctuation and parentheses

   Values must be inside parentheses and separated by commas.

3. Final Answer:

   SELECT * FROM orders WHERE status IN ('active', 'pending', 'closed'); -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   IN syntax = column IN (values) [OK]

Hint: No '=' before IN; use commas inside parentheses [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using '=' before IN
• Missing commas between values
• Omitting parentheses around values

3. Given the table employees with column department, what rows will this query return?

SELECT * FROM employees WHERE department IN ('HR', 'Sales');

medium

A. Rows where department is 'HR' or 'Sales'.

B. Rows where department is 'HR' only.

C. Rows where department is not 'HR' or 'Sales'.

D. All rows regardless of department.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the IN filter on department

   The query filters rows where department matches any value in ('HR', 'Sales').

2. Step 2: Determine which rows match

   Only rows with department 'HR' or 'Sales' are returned; others are excluded.

3. Final Answer:

   Rows where department is 'HR' or 'Sales'. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   IN filters rows matching listed values [OK]

Hint: IN returns rows matching any listed value [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking it returns rows not in the list
• Assuming it returns only one value
• Confusing IN with NOT IN

4. Identify the error in this SQL query:

SELECT * FROM products WHERE category IN 'Electronics', 'Toys', 'Books';

medium

A. Incorrect table name.

B. Using IN instead of = operator.

C. Missing parentheses around the list of values.

D. Missing commas between values.

Solution

1. Step 1: Check syntax of IN clause

   The list of values after IN must be enclosed in parentheses.

2. Step 2: Identify missing parentheses

   The query has values listed without parentheses, causing syntax error.

3. Final Answer:

   Missing parentheses around the list of values. -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   IN requires parentheses around values [OK]

Hint: Always put parentheses around IN value list [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Omitting parentheses around values
• Using IN with equals sign
• Forgetting commas between values

5. You want to select customers from the orders table whose country is either 'USA', 'Canada', or 'Mexico', but exclude those with status 'cancelled'. Which query correctly uses WHERE with IN and excludes cancelled orders?

hard

A. SELECT * FROM orders WHERE country IN 'USA', 'Canada', 'Mexico' AND status != 'cancelled';

B. SELECT * FROM orders WHERE country IN ('USA', 'Canada', 'Mexico') OR status != 'cancelled';

C. SELECT * FROM orders WHERE country = IN ('USA', 'Canada', 'Mexico') AND status != 'cancelled';

D. SELECT * FROM orders WHERE country IN ('USA', 'Canada', 'Mexico') AND status != 'cancelled';

Solution

1. Step 1: Use IN correctly for country filter

   The country column must be checked with IN ('USA', 'Canada', 'Mexico') without equals sign.

2. Step 2: Exclude cancelled orders with AND condition

   Use AND status != 'cancelled' to exclude those rows.

3. Final Answer:

   SELECT * FROM orders WHERE country IN ('USA', 'Canada', 'Mexico') AND status != 'cancelled'; -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   IN filters list, AND excludes cancelled [OK]

Hint: Use AND to combine IN filter and exclusion [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using OR instead of AND causing wrong results
• Adding '=' before IN
• Omitting parentheses around IN values