Arithmetic Operators in Java

Do you know how arithmetic operators work in Java? Many developers think they do, until they get unexpected results in their calculations or face bugs they cannot explain. From simple addition and subtraction to more advanced operations like incrementing and decrementing, Java arithmetic operators can sometimes be tricky.

In this guide, we will break down arithmetic operators in Java with easy syntax, clear examples, and simple explanations. Whether you’re new to Java or just need a quick refresher, this article will help you master Java arithmetic operators with ease.

Table of Contents:

• What are Arithmetic Operators in Java?
• Syntax of Arithmetic Operators in Java
• Types of Arithmetic Operators in Java
• Binary Arithmetic Operators in Java
  • Addition Operator (+)
  • Subtraction Operator (-)
  • Multiplication Operator (*)
  • Division Operator (/)
  • Modulus or Modulo Operator (%)
• Compound Assignment Arithmetic Operators in Java
  • Addition Operator (+=)
  • Subtraction Operator (-=)
  • Multiplication Operator (*=)
  • Division Operator (/=)
  • Modulus Operator (%=)
• Unary Increment/Decrement Arithmetic Operators in Java
  • Post Decrement (X–)
  • Pre-Decrement (–X)
  • Post Increment (X++)
  • Pre-Increment (++X)
• Common Errors in Arithmetic Operators in Java
• Operator Precedence and Associativity of Arithmetic Operators in Java
• Conclusion

What are Arithmetic Operators in Java?

Arithmetic is a branch of mathematics that deals with numbers and the basic operations performed on them, like addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication. Arithmetic operators in Java are the type of Java Operators that are used to perform basic operations between variables. They perform operations on numeric data types. 

Syntax of Arithmetic Operators in Java

In Java, arithmetic operators have very basic and easy syntax. The operator is placed between the 2 operands.

Syntax: 

Expression = operand1 operator operand2;

Where, 

• The operand1 and operand2 are the numerical values.
• The operator is an arithmetic operator like +, -, *, or /.

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Types of Arithmetic Operators in Java

Java has 3 main types of arithmetic operators, which are used to perform the basic mathematical functions. These are:

1. Binary Arithmetic Operators in Java

Binary means two, hence, these operators require two operands, one on the left and another on the right, to perform an operation.

Here is the list of Binary arithmetic operators in Java.

Let us discuss each one of them in detail.

1. Addition Operator (+)

It is used to add two operands in Java.

Syntax:

operand1 + operand2 ;

Example:

Output: 

2. Subtraction Operator (-)

It is used to subtract two operands in Java.

Syntax:

operand1 - operand2 ;

Example:

Output:

3. Multiplication Operator (*)

It is used to multiply two operands in Java.

Syntax:

operand1 * operand2 ;

Example:

Output:

4. Division Operator (/)

It is used to divide two operands in Java.

Syntax:

operand1 / operand2 ;

Example:

Output:

5. Modulus or Modulo Operator (%)

It is used to get the remainder after division of the two operands in Java.

Syntax:

operand1 % operand2 ;

Example:

Output: 

2. Compound Assignment Arithmetic Operators in Java

These operators use the binary arithmetic operator with the assignment operator (=) to make the code shorter and easier to read.

Here is the list of Compound arithmetic operators in Java.

Let us discuss each one of them in detail.

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1. Addition Operator (+=)

This operator is the shorthand for the addition operator. It takes the value of operand1 and adds it to operand2, then assigns the result to operand1. 

Syntax:

operand1 += operand2 ;

Example:

Output: 

2. Subtraction Operator (-=)

This operator is the shorthand for the subtraction operator. It takes the value of operand2 and subtracts it from operand1. 

Syntax:

operand1 -=operand2 ;

Example:

Output: 

3. Multiplication Operator (*=)

This operator is the shorthand for the multiplication operator. It takes the value of operand1 and multiplies it by operand2, then assigns the result to operand1. 

Syntax:

operand1 *=operand2 ;

Example:

Output: 

4. Division Operator (/=)

This operator is the shorthand for the division operator. It takes the value of operand1 and divides it by operand2, then assigns the result to operand1. 

Syntax:

operand1 /=operand2 ;

Example:

Output: 

5. Modulus Operator (%=)

The modulus assignment operator divides the value of the operand1 by the operand2 and assigns the remainder back to the operand1.

Syntax:

operand1 %=operand2 ;

Example:

Output: 

3. Unary Increment/Decrement Arithmetic Operators in Java

These operators are used to increase or decrease a value by 1, either before or after it is used in an expression. 

Here is the list of Increment/Decrement arithmetic operators in Java.

Let us discuss each one of them in detail.

Let x be an integer.

1. Post Decrement (X–)

Syntax:

This operator first uses the current value of X, then decreases its value by 1.

X--

Example:

Output:

2. Pre-Decrement (–X)

This operator first decreases the current value of X, then uses it for the operation.

Syntax:

--X

Example:

Output:

3. Post Increment (X++)

This operator first uses the current value of X, then increases its value by 1.

Syntax:

X++

Example:

Output:

4. Pre-Increment (++X)

This operator first increases the current value of X, then uses it for the operation. 

Syntax:

++X

Example:

Output:

Note:

• X and Y can be literals, variables, or expressions.
• For division, if the divisor is zero, it will result in an ArithmeticException.
• Integer division (int/int) results in an integer. To get a result in floating-point, at least one operand must be a floating-point type.
• The addition operator + is also used for string concatenation. If either operand is a string, + will concatenate the operands into a new string.

Common Errors in Arithmetic Operators in Java

1. Cannot divide by Zero

It occurs when the user tries to divide a number by zero.

2. Incompatible types: possible lossy conversion from double to int

It occurs when the user divides two double values, but tries to assign the result to an int.

3. Operator ‘+’ cannot be applied to ‘int’, ‘String’

It occurs when there are misplaced parentheses in System.out.println. You should wrap an arithmetic operation in parentheses ().

Operator Precedence and Associativity of Arithmetic Operators in Java

Operator precedence determines which operator will be evaluated first when there are multiple operators present in an expression.

Associativity determines the order of operation when the operators have the same precedence. 

The table below shows the precedence of the operators from highest to lowest precedence.

Example:

Output:

In the above Java code, there are three variables: a, b, and c. In result1, the precedence of the multiplication operator is shown. In result 2, the precedence of the parentheses is shown, and lastly, in result 3, the associativity of the unary operator is shown.

Conclusion 

In Java, arithmetic operators help you to perform basic operations like addition, subtraction, and multiplication.  You can also use compound operators like += and -= to shorten your code. Unary operators like ++ and — are used to increase or decrease values by 1. 

If you want to learn more about Java, you can refer to our Java Course.

Arithmetic Operators in Java – FAQs