Zebra0.com

Java

Learn Java in step-by-step lessons.

Arithmetic Operations

Arithmetic operators

Java has the following operators:

Operator	Purpose	Example	x
+	addition	x=5+3;	8
+	addition	x=5+3.0;	8.0
-	minus	x=5-3;	2
-	minus	x=5-3.0;	2.0
*	multiplication	x=5*3;	15
*	multiplication	x=5*3.0;	15.0
/	division	x=9/2;	4
/	division	x=9/2.0;	4.5
%	remainder	x=14%3;	2

An actual program would not use a statement such as X=5+3; it would save time to simply use X=8. An actual program would be more likely to use variables: X=Y+Z; for example.

Note that there is a times, or multiplication, operator: *. In algebra, variables are always a single letter, XY in algebra means X times Y. In programming, variables can be several letters, and we could not be sure whether XY meant X times Y or a variable called XY.

Notice that operations on two integers results in an integer. If we divide 9/2 we get just 4. If we want 4.5 we must make one of the operands a double or float.

Remainder: %

The % operator is used to find the remainder. Before children learn about decimal numbers, they may give the answer to division problems as: "17 divided by 5 is 3 with a remainder of 2" Note that 17/5 results in 3, while 17 % 5 results in 2.

Please study the material at each of the links below.