True or False: The LAG function can retrieve the previous value of a numeric or character column.

The statement is true because the LAG function in SAS is designed to retrieve the previous value of both numeric and character variables within a data step. When using the LAG function, SAS creates a temporary memory of the values processed in prior iterations of the data step. This allows it to return the last value encountered for the specified variable, regardless of whether it is numeric or character.

The LAG function is particularly useful in various scenarios, such as calculating differences between current and previous values, creating time series data, and performing other analyses that require a comparison of adjacent observations. Therefore, the capability of the LAG function to handle both types of data makes it a versatile tool in SAS programming.