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In the C programming language, arithmetic operators are used to perform basic mathematical operations on numerical data types such as integers and floating-point numbers. Here’s a detailed description of each arithmetic operator in C:
1. Addition ( ' + ' )
The ' + 'operator adds two operands.
Example:
int a = 5, b = 3;
int result = a + b; // result is 8
2. Subtraction ( ' - ' )
The ' - ' operator subtracts the second operand from the first.
Example:
int a = 5, b = 3;
int result = a - b; // result is 2
3. Multiplication ( ' * ' )
The ' * ' operator multiplies two operands.
Example:
int a = 5, b = 3;
int result = a * b; // result is 15
4. Division ( ' / ' )
The ' / ' operator divides the first operand by the second. The result is of the same type as the operands. For integers, the result is truncated towards zero.
Example:
int a = 6, b = 3;
int result = a / b; // result is 2
float x = 5.0, y = 2.0;
float result2 = x / y; // result is 2.5
5. Modulus ( ' % ' )
The ' % ' operator gives the remainder of the division of the first operand by the second. It is only applicable to integer operands.
Example:
int a = 5, b = 3;
int result = a % b; // result is 2
Unary Arithmetic Operators
These operators operate on a single operand.
6. Unary Plus ( ' + ' )
The + operator is used to indicate a positive value, although it’s rarely used explicitly as numbers are positive by default.
Example:
int a = +5; // same as int a = 5;
7. Unary Minus ( ' - ' )
The - operator negates the value of its operand.
Example:
int a = 5;
int result = -a; // result is -5
Increment and Decrement Operators
These are special unary operators used to increase or decrease the value of a variable by 1.
8. Increment ( ' ++ ' )
Increases the value of its operand by 1. It can be used in two forms:
- Prefix increment (
++a): Increments the value before it is used in an expression. - Postfix increment (
a++): Increments the value after it is used in an expression.
Example:
int a = 5;
int b = ++a; // a is incremented to 6, then b is assigned 6
int c = 5;
int d = c++; // d is assigned 5, then c is incremented to 6
9. Decrement ( ' -- ' )
Decreases the value of its operand by 1. It also has prefix and postfix forms:
- Prefix decrement (
--a): Decrements the value before it is used in an expression. - Postfix decrement (
a--): Decrements the value after it is used in an expression.
Example:
int a = 5;
int b = --a; // a is decremented to 4, then b is assigned 4
int c = 5;
int d = c--; // d is assigned 5, then c is decremented to 4
Detailed Examples and Notes
Mixed-Type Arithmetic
When performing arithmetic operations on mixed types (e.g., an ‘int‘ and a ‘float‘), C promotes the ‘int‘ to a ‘float‘ before performing the operation.
Example:
int a = 5;
float b = 2.0;
float result = a + b; // result is 7.0
Integer Division
When both operands of a division are integers, the result is also an integer, and any fractional part is discarded.
Example:
int a = 7, b = 2;
int result = a / b; // result is 3, not 3.5
Division by Zero
Attempting to divide by zero using either the / or % operator results in undefined behavior and typically causes a runtime error.
Example:
int a = 5, b = 0;
int result = a / b; // Undefined behavior
Understanding these operators and how they interact with different data types and contexts is fundamental to writing correct and efficient C programs.
