Assignment Operator in C

Assignment operators play a vital role in the C programming language, allowing programmers to assign variable values. Understanding assignment operators is crucial for mastering the art of variable manipulation in C. So, let's begin our exploration of assignment operators

This article will explore the world of assignment operators in C, exploring their various types and providing illustrative examples.

What is Assignment Operator in C?

Assignment operators are binary operators in C that enable us to give values or expressions to variables. In C, assignment operators associate from right to left, resulting in the value on the right being assigned to the variable on the left. The variable is always on the left side (LHS), while the value or expression is on the assignment operator's right side (RHS).

Assignment operators have lower precedence levels compared to other operators in C. You can assign the same value to multiple variables in a single line of code, and the assignment is performed from right to left. The most basic assignment operator symbol is =, which requires two operands.

Let’s check an example of assignment operator in c -

In an expression like x = 4, the variable x is assigned 4. The variable is on the left side (LHS), and the value or expression is on the assignment operator's right side (RHS). For example:

x = 4; // Assigns the value 4 to the variable x

The assignment operator associates from right to left. For example:

x = y = 10; // Assigns the value 10 to both variables x and y

Here, the value 10 is assigned to y first, and then y's value is assigned to x. The simplest explanation of assignment operator associativity can be represented as:

x = (y = (10));

This shows that assignment operators are binary operators, requiring two operands. The LHS operand must be a variable, and the RHS operand can be a constant, variable, or expression.

Left Operand = Right Operand

List of All Assignment Operators in C

In C, we have two types of assignment operators in C: simple assignment operators and compound assignment operators.

Simple Assignment Operator (=):

A simple assignment operator assigns the value on the right-hand side (RHS) to the variable on the left-hand side (LHS)

For example:

int x;
x = 5;

The value 5 is assigned to the variable x using the simple assignment operator in the above example.

Compound Assignment Operators (e.g., +=, -=, *=, /=):

Compound assignment operators combine a binary operator with a simple assignment operator. They perform an operation between the LHS and RHS, and the result is returned to the LHS.

For example:

int x = 10;
x += 5;  // Equivalent to x = x + 5

In the above example, the compound assignment operator += adds 5 to the variable x and returns the result to x.

Compound assignment operators provide a concise way to perform an operation and assign the result in a single statement.

Table showcasing list of operators in C

Example Programs

Let’s look at some assignment operators' example -

Example 1: = Operator

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    int x = 10;
    int y = x;

    printf("x = %d\n", x);
    printf("y = %d\n", y);

    return 0;
}

Output:

x = 10
y = 10

Example 2: += Operator

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    int x = 10;
    int y = 5;

    x += y;

    printf("x = %d\n", x);

    return 0;
}

Output:

x = 15

Example 3: -= Operator

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    int x = 10;
    int y = 5;

    x -= y;

    printf("x = %d\n", x);

    return 0;
}

Output:

x = 5

Example 4: *= Operator

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    int x = 10;
    int y = 5;

    x *= y;

    printf("x = %d\n", x);

    return 0;
}

Output:

x = 50

Example 5: /= Operator

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    int x = 10;
    int y = 5;

    x /= y;

    printf("x = %d\n", x);

    return 0;
}

Output:

x = 2

Example 6: %= Operator

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    int x = 10;
    int y = 3;

    x %= y;

    printf("x = %d\n", x);

    return 0;
}

Output:

x = 1

Example 7: <<= Operator

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    int x = 10;
    int y = 2;

    x <<= y;

    printf("x = %d\n", x);

    return 0;
}

Output:

x = 40

Example 8: >>= Operator

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    int x = 10;
    int y = 2;

    x >>= y;

    printf("x = %d\n", x);

    return 0;
}

Output:

x = 2

Example 9: &= Operator

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    int x = 5;
    int y = 3;

    x &= y;

    printf("x = %d\n", x);

    return 0;
}

Output:

x = 1

Example 10: |= Operator

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    int x = 5;
    int y = 3;

    x |= y;

    printf("x = %d\n", x);

    return 0;
}

Output:

x = 7

Example 11: ^= Operator

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    int x = 5;
    int y = 3;

    x ^= y;

    printf("x = %d\n", x);

    return 0;
}

Output:

x = 6

Working Of Assignment Operators In C

Let’s understand the working of Assignment Operators in C with the help of a simple table -

Conclusion

Assignment operators provide various capabilities, from basic assignments to arithmetic, bitwise, and shift operations. Mastering these operators enables programmers to perform complex calculations and transformations with ease. With their concise syntax and powerful functionality, assignment operators function as a fundamental component of C programming, contributing to code readability and maintainability. The best way to hone proficiency and practical knowledge regarding the same is by upskilling, and what could be better than applying on upGrad for this!

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FAQs

1. What is the difference between simple and compound assignment operators in C?

The simple assignment operator (=) assigns the value of the right operand to the left operand. The compound assignment operators (+=, -=, etc.) perform an arithmetic operation and assign the result to the left operand.

2. Can I assign the same value to multiple variables using a single assignment statement?

You can assign the same value to multiple variables using the simple assignment operator in a single line of code, such as "x = y = z = 10;".

3. Are there any precedence rules to consider when using compound assignment operators?

Yes, compound assignment operators have lower precedence than most other operators in C. It's important to use parentheses to clarify the order of operations if necessary, especially when combining compound assignment operators with other arithmetic or bitwise operators.

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