Python Operators

Operators in Python are used to perform various operations on variables and values. Python provides a wide range of operators, categorized into different groups. Here, we will explore the main groups of Python operators.

Arithmetic Operators

Arithmetic operators are used to perform mathematical operations on numeric values:

Operator	Name	Example	Description
+	Addition	x + y	Adds two values
-	Subtraction	x - y	Subtracts the second value from the first
*	Multiplication	x * y	Multiplies two values
/	Division	x / y	Divides the first value by the second
%	Modulus	x % y	Returns the remainder of the division of the first value by the second
**	Exponentiation	x ** y	Raises the first value to the power of the second
//	Floor Division	x // y	Returns the floor of the division of the first value by the second

Assignment Operators

Assignment operators are used to assign values to variables:

Operator	Example	Same As
=	x = 5	x = 5
+=	x += 3	x = x + 3
-=	x -= 3	x = x - 3
*=	x *= 3	x = x * 3
/=	x /= 3	x = x / 3
%=	x %= 3	x = x % 3
//=	x //= 3	x = x // 3
**=	x **= 3	x = x ** 3
&=	x &= 3	x = x & 3
|=	x |= 3	x = x
^=	x ^= 3	x = x ^ 3
>>=	x >>= 3	x = x >> 3
<<=	x <<= 3	x = x << 3

Comparison Operators

Comparison operators are used to compare two values:

Operator	Name	Example	Description
==	Equal	x == y	Returns True if both values are equal
!=	Not Equal	x != y	Returns True if the values are not equal
>	Greater Than	x > y	Returns True if the first value is greater than the second
<	Less Than	x < y	Returns True if the first value is less than the second
>=	Greater or Equal	x >= y	Returns True if the first value is greater than or equal to the second
<=	Less or Equal	x <= y	Returns True if the first value is less than or equal to the second

Logical Operators

Logical operators are used to combine or modify conditional statements:

Operator	Description	Example
and	Returns True if both statements are True	x < 5 and x < 10
or	Returns True if at least one of the statements is True	x < 5 or x < 4
not	Reverses the result, returns False if the result is True	not(x < 5 and x < 10)

Identity Operators

Identity operators are used to compare objects' memory locations:

Operator	Description	Example
is	Returns True if both variables are the same object	x is y
is not	Returns True if both variables are different objects	x is not y

Membership Operators

Membership operators are used to test if a sequence is present in an object:

Operator	Description	Example
in	Returns True if a sequence with the specified value is present in the object	x in y
not in	Returns True if a sequence with the specified value is not present in the object	x not in y

Bitwise Operators

Bitwise operators are used to compare binary numbers:

Operator	Name	Description
&	AND	Sets each bit to 1 if both bits are 1
|	OR	Sets each bit to 1 if one of two bits is 1
^	XOR	Sets each bit to 1 if only one of two bits is 1
~	NOT	Inverts all the bits
<<

   | Left Shift    | Shifts left by pushing zeros in from the right |

| >> | Right Shift | Shifts right by pushing copies of the leftmost bit in from the left |

Operator Precedence

Operator precedence describes the order in which operations are performed. Operators with higher precedence are evaluated first. In case of operators with the same precedence, the expression is evaluated from left to right. Parentheses have the highest precedence.

Some of the key operator precedences are:

1. Parentheses ()

2. Exponentiation **

3. Unary plus +, unary minus -, bitwise NOT ~

4. Multiplication *, division /, floor division //, modulus %

5. Addition +, subtraction -

6. Bitwise left shift <<, bitwise right shift >>

7. Bitwise AND &

8. Bitwise XOR ^

9. Bitwise OR |

10. Comparisons, identity, and membership operators

11. Logical NOT not

12. Logical AND and

13. Logical OR or

Understanding operator precedence is crucial for writing correct and efficient Python code.

Remember that you can always use parentheses to explicitly control the order of evaluation in complex expressions.

result = (6 + 3) - (6 + 3)  # Evaluate the inner parentheses first

Practice

Now, try the following exercise:

Exercise: Multiply 10 by 5 and print the result.

print(10 * 5)

Operators play a fundamental role in Python, allowing you to perform various operations on values, make decisions, and control the flow of your programs. Understanding how to use operators and their precedence is essential for effective programming in Python.