Lecture Notes on Operators in C

Introduction

• Previous topic: Character data type
• Current topic: Operators in C
• Focus: Detailed discussion on every type of operator with examples and programs.

What is an Operator?

• Definition: An operator is a symbol that tells the compiler/computer which operation to perform on data.
• Purpose: Used for mathematical or logical manipulation of variables or data.
• Examples of Operators:
  • Arithmetic Operators: +, -, *, /
  • Logical Operators: &&, ||
  • Relational Operators: >, <, ==, !=*

Classification of Operators

Operators can be classified based on:

1. Operations
2. Operands

Overview of Operators

• Operators are used to manipulate variables and constants.
• Expression: A sequence of operators and operands that yields a single value after processing.
  • Example: a = 5 + 5 results in a = 10.

Types of Operators Based on Operands

1. Unary Operators:

   • Definition: Operate on a single operand.
   • Examples:
     • Unary Minus (-): Changes sign of the operand.
     • Increment (++), Decrement (--), Logical Not (!), Address of (&), Size of (sizeof).
   • Example of Unary Minus:
     • If a = 5, then -a results in -5.

2. Binary Operators:

   • Definition: Operate on two operands.
   • Examples:
     • Arithmetic: +, -, *, /
     • Relational: >, <, ==, !=
     • Logical: &&, ||
     • Bitwise: &, |, ^, <<, >>
   • Example:
     • a + b where a and b are two operands.

3. Ternary Operator:

   • Definition: Requires three operands, also known as the conditional operator.
   • Syntax: condition ? expression1 : expression2
   • Example:
     • If a = 10 and b = 15, then x = (a > b) ? a : b results in x = 15.*

Detailed Examples of Operators

Unary Operators

• Increment and Decrement:
  • Prefix: ++x or --x (value changes before usage).
  • Postfix: x++ or x-- (value changes after usage).
  • Example of Postfix:
    • If x = 10, then y = x++ results in y = 10 and x = 11.
  • Example of Prefix:
    • If x = 10, then y = ++x results in y = 11 and x = 11.

Logical Not Operator

• Converts true to false and vice versa.
• Example:
  • If x = 11 and y = 10, then !(x > y) results in false.

Address of Operator

• Fetches the address of a variable in memory.
• Commonly used with the scanf function and pointers.

Sizeof Operator

• Returns the size of a data type in bytes.
• Example:
  • sizeof(int) might return 4 bytes.

Conclusion

• Next video will focus on types of operators based on operations.
• Call to action: Request for a separate video on the ternary operator for detailed discussion.