Which SQL function would you use to find the total number of rows in a query result?

The COUNT() function is specifically designed to return the total number of rows that match a given query condition in SQL. When you use COUNT(*), it counts all rows in the result set, regardless of whether they contain NULL values. This makes it the ideal choice for obtaining the total row count in any dataset or query result.

The SUM() function aggregates numeric values in a specified column, providing the total of that column's entries, which is not suitable for counting rows. The TOTAL() function is not a standard SQL function, and hence cannot be used to find the total number of rows. The NUM() function is also not recognized as a valid SQL function for counting rows. Therefore, COUNT() is the appropriate and correct function to use in this context.