What are Operators in C++ ,Types, Practical Examples

Operators are symbols that perform operations on values (called operands). Think of them like math symbols (+, -, ×, ÷) or comparison words (greater than, equal to).

In programming, operators help:

• Manipulate data (numbers, text, etc.).
• Control how a program works (decision-making, loops).

C++ provides many operators with the ability to perform different tasks. Understanding them helps you write better and faster code.

Types of Operators in C++

The following are different Operators in C++.

1. Arithmetic Operators

Arithmetic Operators perform mathematical calculations. Here are types of arithmetic operators:

a. Binary Arithmetic Operators (Two Operands)

These work with two numbers:

Operator	Meaning	Example
+	Addition	5 + 3 → 8
-	Subtraction	5 - 3 → 2
*	Multiplication	5 * 3 → 15
/	Division	10 / 3 → 3 (integer) or 3.333 (float)
%	Modulo (remainder)	10 % 3 → 1

Note:

• Integer division (int / int) Discards the decimal part.
• Use float or double For exact division.

b. Unary Arithmetic Operators (One Operand)

These work with a single number:

Operator	Meaning	Example
++	Increment (add 1)	x++ (postfix), ++x (prefix)
--	Decrement (subtract 1)	x-- (postfix), --x (prefix)
+	Unary plus (no change)	+5 → 5
-	Unary minus (negation)	-5 → -5

Difference Between Prefix & Postfix:

• ++x → First increments, then uses the value.
• x++ → First uses the value, then increments.

Example:

int a = 5;  
cout << a++; // Prints 5, then a becomes 6  
cout << ++a; // First a becomes 7, then prints 7  

2. Assignment Operators

Assignment operators assign values to variables.

a. Simple Assignment (=)

A simple assignment stores a value in a variable.

int x = 10; // x now holds 10  

b. Compound Assignment (Shortcuts)

Combine arithmetic and assignment:

Operator	Meaning	Example	Equivalent
+=	Add & assign	x += 5	x = x + 5
-=	Subtract & assign	x -= 3	x = x - 3
*=	Multiply & assign	x *= 2	x = x * 2
/=	Divide & assign	x /= 2	x = x / 2
%=	Modulo & assign	x %= 3	x = x % 3

Why Use Them?

• Shorter code.
• Faster to write.

3. Comparison (Relational) Operators: Making Decisions

Compare two values and return true or false.

Operator	Meaning	Example
==	Equal to	5 == 5 → true
!=	Not equal	5 != 3 → true
>	Greater than	5 > 3 → true
<	Less than	5 < 3 → false
>=	Greater than or equal	5 >= 5 → true
<=	Less than or equal	5 <= 3 → false

Used in:

• if conditions.
• Loops (while, for).

Common Mistake:

• Using = (assignment) instead of == (comparison).

4. Logical Operators: Combining Conditions

Combine multiple conditions:

Operator	Meaning	Example
&&	AND (both must be true)	(5 > 3) && (2 < 4) → true
!	NOT (reverse condition)	!(5 == 3) → true

Short-Circuiting:

• && stops if the first condition is false.
• || stops if the first condition is true.

5. Bitwise Operators (Advanced – Optional)

Work on binary bits (0s and 1s).

Operator	Meaning	Example
&	Bitwise AND	5 & 3 → 1
^	Bitwise XOR	5 ^ 3 → 6
~	Bitwise NOT	~5 → -6
<<	Left shift	5 << 1 → 10
>>	Right shift	5 >> 1 → 2

Uses:

• Low-level programming.
• Optimizing code.

Other Important Operators

Operator	Meaning	Example
?:	Ternary (short if-else)	(x > 5) ? "Yes" : "No"
,	Comma (separates expressions)	x = (a=5, a+1) → x=6
::	Scope resolution	std::cout
. and ->	Member access	obj.x or ptr->x
sizeof	Size of variable	sizeof(int) → 4 (bytes)

Operator Precedence and Associativity

Some operators run before others (like math: * before +).

Example:

int x = 5 + 3 * 2; // 3*2=6 → 5+6=11  

Common Precedence Rules

1. Parentheses ()
2. Unary (++, --, !, ~)
3. Arithmetic (*, /, % → +, -)
4. Comparison (<, >, <=, >=)
5. Equality (==, !=)
6. Logical (&& → ||)
7. Assignment (=, +=, -=, etc.)

Associativity

• Left-to-right: a + b + c → (a + b) + c
• Right-to-left: x = y = 5 → y=5 then x=y

Using Parentheses for Clarity

Always use () to avoid confusion:

int result = (5 + 3) * 2; // 8 * 2 = 16  

Practical Examples

The following are practical examples of operators in C++ that clear all your confusion.

1. Simple Calculations

int a = 10, b = 3;  
cout << a + b; // 13  
cout << a % b; // 1  

2. Checking User Age

int age;  
cin >> age;  
if (age >= 18) {  
    cout << "Adult";  
} else {  
    cout << "Minor";  
}  

3. Looping with Operators

for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {  
    cout << i << " ";  
}  

Common Mistakes

1. if (x = 5) → Wrong! (Use ==).
2. 5 / 2 → 2 (Use 5.0 / 2 for 2.5).