C Programming
In this tutorial we will learn about precedence and associativity in C programming language.
We evaluate expression based on the rules of precedence and associativity.
Precedence rules decides the order in which different operators are applied.
Associativity rules decides the order in which multiple occurences of the same level operator are applied.
Precedence and Associativity table is at the end of this tutorial.
Lets talk about the precedence of the arithmetic operators namely addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and modulus.
High priority is given to multiplication, division and modulus whereas, addition and subtraction gets the low priority.
High * / %
Low + -
In the following example we are given an arithmetic expression consisting of all the 5 operators namely addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and modulus.
We will solve the expression by first targeting high priority operators and then target the low priority operators.
Note! Arithmetic expressions are evaluated from left-to-right.
x = a2 - 3b + a / b
where, a = 4 and b = 2
First we will express the above formula using the arithmetic operators we use in C.
x = a * a - 3 * b + a / b
Now we will replace a and b with their respective values.
x = 4 * 4 - 3 * 2 + 4 / 2
Now we will solve the expression from left to right.
//find x
x = 4 * 4 - 3 * 2 + 4 / 2
= (4 * 4) - 3 * 2 + 4 / 2 [* high priority operator]
= 16 - 3 * 2 + 4 / 2
= 16 - (3 * 2) + 4 / 2 [* high priority operator]
= 16 - 6 + 4 / 2
= 16 - 6 + (4 / 2) [/ high priority operator]
= 16 - 6 + 2
= (16 - 6) + 2 [- low priority operator]
= 10 + 2
= (10 + 2) [+ low priority operator]
= 12
So, the final answer of the given expression is 12.
Lets write a C program for the above expression.
#include <stdio.h>
int main(void)
{
//variables
int x, a, b;
//initialise
a = 4;
b = 2;
//compute x
x = a * a - 3 * b + a / b;
//output
printf("x = %d\n", x);
printf("End of code\n");
return 0;
}
Output
x = 12
End of code
( )
parenthesis are evalutated first as they assume the highest priority.Operator | Description | Associativity | Precedence |
---|---|---|---|
( ) [ ] | Function call Array element reference | Left to Right | 1 |
+ - ++ -- ! ~ * & sizeof (type) | Unary plus Unary minus Increment Decrement Logical negation Ones complement Pointer reference (indirection) Address Size of an object Type cast (conversion) | Right to Left | 2 |
* / % | Multiplication Division Modulus | Left to Right | 3 |
+ - | Addition Subtraction | Left to Right | 4 |
<< >> | Left shift Right shift | Left to Right | 5 |
< <= > >= | Less than Less than or equal to Greater than Greater than or equal to | Left to Right | 6 |
== != | Equality Inequality | Left to Right | 7 |
& | Bitwise AND | Left to Right | 8 |
^ | Bitwise XOR | Left to Right | 9 |
| | Bitwise OR | Left to Right | 10 |
&& | Logical AND | Left to Right | 11 |
|| | Logical OR | Left to Right | 12 |
?: | Conditional expression | Right to Left | 13 |
= *= /= %= += -= &= ^= |= <<= >>= | Assignment operators | Right to Left | 14 |
, | Comma operator | Left to Right | 15 |
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