A Comprehensive Guide to C Arithmetic Operators

The C programming language includes several arithmetic operators that perform basic mathematical operations. Understanding these operators is crucial for performing calculations in your programs.

Key Concepts

• Arithmetic Operators: These are symbols that tell the compiler to perform specific mathematical operations on operands.
• Operands: The values or variables on which the operators perform operations.

Main Arithmetic Operators

Here are the primary arithmetic operators available in C:

1. Addition (+)
   • Description: Adds two operands.
   • Example: int sum = a + b;
2. Subtraction (-)
   • Description: Subtracts the second operand from the first.
   • Example: int difference = a - b;
3. Multiplication (*)
   • Description: Multiplies two operands.
   • Example: int product = a * b;
4. Division (/)
   • Description: Divides the first operand by the second. Note that if both operands are integers, the result will also be an integer (fractional part is discarded).
   • Example: int quotient = a / b; // If a = 5 and b = 2, quotient = 2
5. Modulus (%)
   • Description: Returns the remainder of the division of the first operand by the second.
   • Example: int remainder = a % b; // If a = 5 and b = 2, remainder = 1

Operator Precedence

• Importance: The order in which operators are evaluated can affect the result of calculations. For example, multiplication and division are performed before addition and subtraction.
• Example: int result = a + b * c; // b * c is computed first

Conclusion

Understanding arithmetic operators in C is fundamental for performing calculations in your code. By using these operators correctly, you can manipulate data and create various mathematical expressions in your programs.