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4.6: Arithmetric Operators

  • Page ID
    10259
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    General Discussion

    An operator performs an action on one or more operands. The common arithmetic operators are:

    Action C++ Operator Symbol
    Addition +
    Subtraction -
    Multiplication *
    Division /
    Modulus (associated with integers) %

    These arithmetic operators are binary that is they have two operands. The operands may be either constants or variables.

    age + 1

    This expression consists of one operator (addition) which has two operands. The first is represented by a variable named age and the second is a literal constant. If age had a value of 14 then the expression would evaluate (or be equal to) 15.

    These operators work as you have learned them throughout your life with the exception of division and modulus. We normally think of division as resulting in an answer that might have a fractional part (a floating-point data type). However, division when both operands are of the integer data type act differently. Please refer to the supplemental materials on "Integer Division and Modulus".


    This page titled 4.6: Arithmetric Operators is shared under a CC BY license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Kenneth Leroy Busbee (OpenStax CNX) .

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