---
title: num_elements() | Tiger Data Docs
description: Get the number of points with distinct timestamps from a counter aggregate
---

Since [1.3.0](https://github.com/timescale/timescaledb-toolkit/releases/tag/1.3.0)

Get the number of points with distinct timestamps from a counter aggregate. Duplicate timestamps are ignored.

## Samples

Get the number of points for each 15-minute counter aggregate.

```
SELECT
    id,
    bucket,
    num_elements(summary)
FROM (
    SELECT
        id,
        time_bucket('15 min'::interval, ts) AS bucket,
        counter_agg(ts, val) AS summary
    FROM foo
    GROUP BY id, time_bucket('15 min'::interval, ts)
) t
```

## Arguments

The syntax is:

```
num_elements(
    summary CounterSummary
) RETURNS BIGINT
```

| Name      | Type             | Default | Required | Description                                                                                                                     |
| --------- | ---------------- | ------- | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `summary` | `CounterSummary` | -       | ✔        | A counter aggregate created using [`counter_agg`](/docs/reference/toolkit/counters-and-gauges/counter_agg/counter_agg/index.md) |

## Returns

| Column        | Type   | Description                                   |
| ------------- | ------ | --------------------------------------------- |
| num\_elements | BIGINT | The number of points with distinct timestamps |