What symbol is used as the concatenation operator in SAS?

In SAS, the correct symbol used as the concatenation operator is represented by either double vertical bars, known as "||", or by a double exclamation mark, denoted as "!!". This operator allows users to combine two or more character strings into one single string.

Using this concatenation operator facilitates the creation of new variables or the manipulation of existing variables by merging their values seamlessly. For example, if you have two character variables, such as "FirstName" and "LastName", you can create a new variable "FullName" by concatenating them into a single string, resulting in "John Smith".

The other choices represent different operations in SAS or are not applicable as concatenation operators. Understanding this operator is essential for data manipulation and cleaning when working with character data in SAS. Knowing how to effectively concatenate strings will enhance your ability to manage and analyze textual data within your datasets.