Expression syntax

Binary operators:

• + addition
• - subtraction
• * multiplication
• / division
• ^ exponentiation

Unary operators:

• + unary plus
• - unary minus

Functions:

• abs(x) absolute value
• acos(x) inverse cosine
• acosh(x) inverse hyperbolic cosine
• asin(x) inverse sine
• asinh(x) inverse hyperbolic sine
• atan(x) inverse tangent
• atanh(x) inverse hyperbolic tangent
• ceil(x) ceiling (the smallest integer greater than or equal to x)
• cos(x) cosine
• cosh(x) hyperbolic cosine
• exp(x) exponential (the constant e raised to the power x)
• floor(x) floor (the greatest integer less than or equal to x)
• lg(x) base 2 logarithm
• ln(x) natural (i.e. base e) logarithm
• log(x) base 10 logarithm
• rand(x) random number between 0 and 1 (the value of x has no effect)
• randn(x) a random number normally distributed with mean 0 and standard deviation 1
• randseed(x) sets the seed for the random number generator
• round(x) rounds x to the closest integer
• sin(x) sine
• sqrt(x) square root
• tan(x) tangent
• tanh(x) hyperbolic tangent

Constants:

• pi 3.141...
• e 2.718... i.e. exp(1)

Syntax:

• expression = term +- term +- ... +- term
  where +- means either a + or a - sign
• term = powerfactor */ powerfactor */ ... */ powerfactor
  where */ means either a * or a / sign
• powerfactor = factor ^ factor ^ ... ^ factor
  exponentiation groups left to right (as usually), i.e. a^b^c means (a^b)^c
• factor = number, or
• factor = name, or
• factor = functionname ( expression ), or
• factor = ( expression ), or
• factor = +- term
  where +- means either an unary plus or an unary minus

Last updated June 6, 1996.

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