OPERATORS The arithmetic operators include the following signs: + addition - subtraction * multiplication / division ^ raising to a power (exponentation); ^ = up arrow On a line containing more tha one operator, there is a set order in which operations always occur. If several operators are used together, the computer assigns priorities as follows: First, exponentiation, then multiplication and division, and last, addition and subtraction. If two operations have the same priority, then calculations are performed in order from left to right. If you want these operations to occur in a different order, BASIC allows you to give a calculation a higher priority by placing parentheses around it. Operations enclosed in parentheses will be calculated before any other operation. You have to make sure that your equations have the same number of left parentheses as right parentheses, or you will get a SYNTAX ERROR message when your program is run. There are also operators for equalities and inequalities, called relational operators. Arithmetic operators always take priority over relational operators. = equal to < less than > greater than <= less than or equal to =< less than or equal to >= greater than or equal to => greater than or equal to <> not equal to >< not equal to Finally there are thee logical operators, with lower priority than both arithmetic and relational operators: AND OR NOT These are used most often to join multiple formulas in IF...THEN statements. When they are used with arithmetic operators, they are evaluated last (i.e., after + and -). Examples: IF A=B AND C=D THEN 100 Requires both A=B & C=D to be true. IF A=B OR C=D THEN 100 Allows either A=B or C=D to be true. A=5:B=4:PRINT A=B Displays a value of 0. A=5:B=4:PRINT A>B Displays a value of -1. PRINT 123 AND 15:PRINT 5 OR 7 Displays 11 and 7.