Arithmetic operators are used with numeric values to perform common mathematical operations, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and more. They are the same symbols you use on a standard calculator.
The following table lists the arithmetic operators supported by PHP:
| Operator | Name | Description | Example ($x=10, $y=4) |
|---|---|---|---|
+ |
Addition | Sum of $x and $y | $x + $y (14) |
- |
Subtraction | Difference of $x and $y | $x - $y (6) |
* |
Multiplication | Product of $x and $y | $x * $y (40) |
/ |
Division | Quotient of $x and $y | $x / $y (2.5) |
% |
Modulus | Remainder of $x divided by $y | $x % $y (2) |
** |
Exponentiation | Result of raising $x to the $y'th power | $x ** $y (10,000) |
The **Modulus** operator is often confusing for beginners. It does not return the result of division; instead, it returns what is left over (the remainder).
<?php
$x = 10;
$y = 3;
echo $x % $y; // Outputs: 1 (because 3 goes into 10 three times, leaving 1 left over)
?>Introduced in PHP 5.6, this operator provides a simple way to calculate powers (e.g., $x squared or cubed).
<?php
$x = 5;
$y = 2;
echo $x ** $y; // Outputs: 25 (5 to the power of 2)
?>%) is frequently used to determine if a number is Even or Odd (e.g., $num % 2 == 0 is even).
+, -, *, /) for basic math.