Help newbie with SQL code

What is wrong with this statement

SELECT hiredate,
DECODE (hiredate,(hiredate<01-jan-81),count(hiredate),hiredate) from emp;

Help. the question was to use the Oracle training database table emp and count the emplyees that were hired by hiredate.   output should look like this

TOTAL 1980 1981 1982 1983

--------      -----    -----  ------   -----
14                1        10        2         1

I know you need DECODE but I just dont know if you can inbed things

Thanks
Andy Received on Thu Mar 15 2001 - 18:18:19 CST