These arithmetic operators are summarized below:
- Addition
- Subtraction
- Multiplication
- Division
- Remainder
In order to add two integers in Java, we use the plus sign (+). Assuming that we have declared two integer variables as number1 and number2 respectively, the addition can be defined as follows:
sum = number1 + number2; // add two numbers
The subtraction in Java uses the same principle as the addition. The symbol used for subtraction is the minus sign (-). Re-using the two integer variables from the previous example, the subtraction can be defined as follows:
subtraction = number1 - number2; // subtract two numbers
For the multiplication, we use the asterisk sign (*). Again using the variables from the examples above, the multiplication can be defined as follows:
product = number1 * number2; // multiply two numbers
For the division, we use the forward slash sign (/). Again using the variables from the examples above, the division can be defined as follows:
fraction = number1 / number2; // divide two numbers
* Please note that if the division takes part between two integers, the result yields an integer quotient. So, for example, 17 / 5 evalutes to 3. Any fractional part in integer division is simply discarded - no rounding occurs.
For this reason, Java provides the remainder operator (%) which yields the remainder after the division. Again using the variables from the examples above, the remainder can be defined as follows:
remainder = number1 % number2; // remainder of a division between two numbers
* In this, 17 / 5 evaluates to 2 (since 5 can be multiplied by 3 which evaluates to 15. To get to 17 we need 2 which is the remainder).
An example of putting all of these arithmetic operators into a simple program can be found below:
// ArithmeticOperators.java
/* Simple Java program that illustrates the use of the arithmetic operators that the Java language supports */
public class ArithmeticOperators
{
// main method where the execution of a Java application begins
public static void main (String args[])
{
int number1 = 17; /* Declare an integer variable number1 and assign the number 17 to it */
int number2 = 5; /* Declare an integer variable number2 and assign the number 5 to it */
// Addition
/* Declare an integer variable sum and assign the sum of number1 and number2 to it. The value assigned to the variable sum is the number 22. */
int sum = number1 + number2;
System.out.println("The sum is equal to " + sum); /* Print out the sum */
// Subtraction
/* Declare an integer variable difference and assign the difference of number1 and number2 to it. The value assigned to the variable sum is the number 12. */
int difference = number1 - number2;
System.out.println("The difference is equal to " + difference); /* Print out the difference */
// Multiplication
/* Declare an integer variable product and assign the product of number1 and number2 to it. The value assigned to the variable product is the number 85. */
int product = number1 * number2;
System.out.println("The product is equal to " + product); /* Print out the product */
// Division
/* Declare an integer variable fraction and assign the fraction of number1 and number2 to it. The value assigned to the variable fraction is the number 3. */
int fraction = number1 / number2;
System.out.println("The fraction is equal to " + fraction); /* Print out the fraction */
// Remainder
/* Declare an integer variable remainder and assign the remainder of number1 and number2 to it. The value assigned to the variable remainder is the number 3. */
int remainder = number1 / number2;
System.out.println("The remainder is equal to " + remainder); /* Print out the remainder */
} // end of main method
} // end class ArithmeticOperators
