Operators (arithmetic)
Use arithmetic operators to designate the operational relationships between expressions in an equation. For example, to add two numbers, use the "+" operator (as in "5+5").
Unlike most other functions, arithmetic operators do not use an actual function word within syntax — they use arithmetic symbols instead. If an equation contains more than one arithmetic operator, your system evaluates the expressions in the following order of precedence:
- functions and expressions in parentheses
- multiplication and division ( * , / )
Caution: The use of the asterisk as a multiplication symbol in the application requires that it be enclosed in quotation marks ("*"). An asterisk without quotation marks is interpreted by the system as a wildcard search character, and operations including it will not give the expected results.
- addition and subtraction ( + , - )
If the arithmetic operations have equal precedence, your system calculates them from left to right.
Syntax:
Expression1 OPERATOR Expression2
where:
- Each Expression is a mathematical expression consisting of symbols, constants, values, and functions. You can use parentheses to nest one expression within another.
-
OPERATOR is an arithmetic operator. Although extra spacing is not required, you should make the expression easier to read and edit by typing a space before and after each operator:
Value Description +
Addition
-
Subtraction
/
Division
"*"
Multiplication
Syntax example:
Div = 0.1 "*" NetInc
Error messages caused by arithmetic calculations
If you use an invalid arithmetic operation in a statement, one of several error messages may appear:
| Error | Description |
|---|---|
#OVERFLOW |
Result of a value greater than the maximum value the CPU can handle. |
#UNDERFLOW |
Result of a value less than the minimum value the CPU can handle. |
#INFINITE |
Result of an out-of-value range number, underflow, or overflow divided by 0. |
-0 |
Result of 0 divided by 0. |
These messages may appear as a result of unusual data or erroneous logic.
For possible solutions to logic errors (for example, to limit calculations when the divisor would be equal to zero), see IRR and When...