Arithmetic operators in C are used to perform basic mathematical operations on variables and values. These operators work on numeric data types such as int, float, double, and long.

C provides five primary arithmetic operators:

1. Addition (+)
2. Subtraction (-)
3. Multiplication (*)
4. Division (/)
5. Modulus (%)

Let’s explore each one with examples.

---

1. Addition Operator (+)

The addition operator adds two values or variables.

Syntax

a + b

Example

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    int x = 10, y = 20;
    int sum = x + y;
    printf("Sum = %d", sum);
    return 0;
}

Output

Sum = 30

---

2. Subtraction Operator (-)

The subtraction operator subtracts one value from another.

Example

int a = 15, b = 5;
int diff = a - b;   // diff = 10

---

3. Multiplication Operator (*)

Used to multiply two numbers.

Example

int a = 6, b = 4;
int product = a * b;   // product = 24

---

4. Division Operator (/)

The division operator divides one number by another.

⚠️ Important:
If both operands are integers, integer division occurs (fractional part is discarded).

Example 1: Integer Division

int a = 7, b = 2;
int result = a / b;   // result = 3 (NOT 3.5)

Example 2: Floating-point Division

float a = 7, b = 2;
float result = a / b;   // result = 3.5

---

5. Modulus Operator (%)

The modulus operator returns the remainder when one integer is divided by another.

✔ Works only with integers.

Example

int a = 10, b = 3;
int rem = a % b;   // rem = 1

---

6. Combined Example

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    int a = 20, b = 6;

    printf("Addition: %d\n", a + b);
    printf("Subtraction: %d\n", a - b);
    printf("Multiplication: %d\n", a * b);
    printf("Division: %d\n", a / b);
    printf("Modulus: %d\n", a % b);

    return 0;
}

---

7. Unary Arithmetic Operators

C also has unary arithmetic operators that work on a single operand.

Increment (++)

Increases a value by 1.

int a = 5;
a++;   // a becomes 6

Decrement (–)

Decreases a value by 1.

int a = 5;
a--;   // a becomes 4

---

8. Operator Precedence

When multiple arithmetic operations appear in an expression, C follows precedence rules:

Precedence	Operators
Highest	*, /, %
Lowest	+, -

Example

int result = 10 + 6 * 2;   // result = 22

---

9. Real-World Example

Suppose we want to calculate the total marks and percentage of a student:

int m1 = 85, m2 = 90, m3 = 80;
int total = m1 + m2 + m3;
float percentage = (total / 3.0);

printf("Total: %d\n", total);
printf("Percentage: %.2f", percentage);

---

Conclusion

Arithmetic operators are fundamental in C programming. They allow you to perform mathematical operations, calculate values, and build logic for complex programs. Understanding how they behave — especially integer vs. floating-point division — is essential for accurate results.

---

🔗 View other articles about C Programming:

https://savanka.com/category/learn/c-programming

🔗 External C Documentation:

https://www.w3schools.com/c