2.3 Arithmetic

Many programs perform arithmetic calculations. The following table summarizes the arithmetic operators, which include some symbols not used in algebra.

A table summarizes the arithmetic operators, which include some symbols not used in algebra.

Multiplication (*)

Rather than algebra’s center dot (·), Python uses the asterisk (*) multiplication operator:

In [1]: 7 * 4
Out[1]: 28

Exponentiation (**)

The exponentiation (**) operator raises one value to the power of another:

In [2]: 2 ** 10
Out[2]: 1024

To calculate the square root, you can use the exponent 1/2 (that is, 0.5):

In [3]: 9 ** (1 / 2)
Out[3]: 3.0

True Division (/) vs. Floor Division (//)

True division (/) divides a numerator ...

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