SAMS Teach Yourself Red Hat® Fedora™ 4 Linux® All in One

Performing Math Tasks Using the Binary Calculator

Mathematics and calculation are common daily productivity fare in any office containing computer systems. Many offices use graphic spreadsheet programs, such as Microsoft Excel or Corel Quattro Pro.

As you might have predicted, the Linux command line gives you access to a more primitive—but also more programmable—form of calculation. Using a programmable calculator like bc, you can automate long calculation procedures and have Linux prompt you for inputs, so that you don't miss steps or make mistakes. You can also call the binary calculator from shell applications of the kind you'll learn to develop in Chapter 25, “Harnessing the Power of the Shell.”

Although it's a powerful performer, you need ...