How to do this -SQL

I have two SQL-ORACLE question,

1)How to write SQL statements that will fetch a certain field   of the "last record in the table". Say table A which contains   field named Dept. I realized before this in this newsgroup there is   a way to get the "last 15" using rownum < 16. However how if I   don't know how many records in the table but I just want to get   the last one.

2)The 2'nd question is regarding Oracle Report. Just to clarify   my understanding. I have a report which have a PL/SQL inside.   This PL/SQL was written in one of my function.  

  I can insert a data into my table using sequence. Something like   this. INSERT INTO TABLE1 (FIELD1,FIELD2)

        VALUES(SEQUENCE1.NEXTVAL, 10);
  It's perfectly OK and insert whatever next value on SEQUENCE1.   However when I tried to assign the SEQUENCE1.CURRVAL to one of my   variable it generate an error (outside of the DML operation).

  myvariable := SEQUENCE1.CURRVAL;

  Because it doesn't recognize SEQUENCE1.

  How to assign current value of SEQUENCE1 to my variable.Is it possible?

  Appreciate any help. Excuse me for asking siple question. I just another   newbie...

  -NORAZMAN-                              Received on Thu Oct 01 1998 - 14:02:16 CEST