hpux man page for bc

bc(1)							      General Commands Manual							     bc(1)

NAME
       bc - arbitrary-precision arithmetic language

SYNOPSIS
       [file...]

DESCRIPTION
       is  an  interactive  processor  for a language that resembles C but provides unlimited-precision arithmetic.  It takes input from any files
       given, then reads the standard input.

   Options
       recognizes the following command-line options:

	      Compile only.
			is actually a preprocessor for which invokes automatically (see dc(1)).  Specifying prevents invoking dc, and sends the dc
			input to standard output.

	      causes an arbitrary-precision math library to be predefined.
			As a side effect, the scale factor is set.

   Program Syntax
       L    a single letter in the range through
       E    expression;
       S    statement;
       R    relational expression.

   Comments
       Comments are enclosed in and

   Names
       Names include:

	      simple variables:    L
	      array elements:	  L [ E ]
	      stacks:	 L

   Other Operands
       Other operands include:

	      Arbitrarily long numbers with optional sign and decimal point.

	      ( E )

	      sqrt ( E )

	      length ( E )	  number of significant decimal digits

	      scale ( E )	  number of digits right of decimal point

	      L ( E , ... , E )

	      Strings of ASCII characters enclosed in quotes ("").

   Arithmetic Operators:
       Arithmetic operators yield an E as a result and include:
	      is remainder (not mod, see below); is power).

	      (prefix and append; apply to names)

	  Relational Operators
	      Relational operators yield an R when used as op

   Statements
       E
       { S ; ... ; S }
       if ( R ) S
       while ( R ) S
       for ( E ; R ; E ) S
       null statement
       break
       quit

   Function Definitions
       define L ( L ,..., L ) {
	    auto L, ... , L
	    S; ... S
	    return ( E )
       }

   Functions in -l Math Library
       Functions in the math library include:

	      s(x)    sine
	      c(x)    cosine
	      e(x)    exponential
	      l(x)    log
	      a(x)    arctangent
	      j(n,x)  Bessel function

       All function arguments are passed by value.  Trigonometric angles are in radians where 2 pi radians = 360 degrees.

       The value of a statement that is an expression is printed unless the main operator is an assignment.  No operators are defined for strings,
       but the string is printed if it appears in a context where an expression result would be printed.  Either semicolons or new-lines can sepa-
       rate  statements.   Assignment  to  scale  influences  the number of digits to be retained on arithmetic operations in the manner of dc(1).
       Assignments to or set the input and output number radix respectively, again as defined by dc(1).

       The same letter can be used simultaneously as an array, a function, and a simple variable.   All  variables  are  global  to  the  program.
       "Auto"  variables  are pushed down during function calls.  When using arrays as function arguments or defining them as automatic variables,
       empty square brackets must follow the array name.

       The operator yields the remainder at the current scale, not the integer modulus.  Thus, at scale 1, is .1 (one  tenth),	not  1.   This	is
       because (at scale 1) is 2.3 with .1 as the remainder.

EXAMPLES
       Define a function to compute an approximate value of the exponential function:

       Print approximate values of the exponential function of the first ten integers.

WARNINGS
       There are currently no (AND) or (OR) comparisons.

       The statement must have all three expressions.

       is interpreted when read, not when executed.

       parser is not robust in the face of input errors.  Some simple expression such as 2+2 helps get it back into phase.

       The  assignment	operators: and are obsolete.  Any occurences of these operators cause a syntax error with the exception of which is inter-
       preted as followed by a unary minus.

       Neither entire arrays nor functions can be passed as function parameters.

FILES
       desk calculator executable program
       mathematical library

SEE ALSO
       bs(1), dc(1).

       tutorial in

STANDARDS CONFORMANCE
																	     bc(1)