Python Operators

Introduction

Operators are special symbols used to perform different operations on values and variables in Python.

Python has six main types of operators:

• Arithmetic Operators
• Relational Operators
• Logical Operators
• Bitwise Operators
• Assignment Operators
• Special Operators

Arithmetic operators are used to perform mathematical calculations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

no1 = 10
no2 = 2

print(no1 + no2)
print(no1 - no2)
print(no1 * no2)
print(no1 / no2)
print(no1 // no2)
print(no1 % no2)
print(no1 ** no2)

OUTPUT
12
8
20
5.0
5
0
100

Example 2: Difference Between /, // and %

no1 = 10
no2 = 3

print(no1 / no2)
print(no1 // no2)
print(no1 % no2)

Output:

3.3333333333333335
3
1

• returns the division result as a floating-point number.
• returns the floor value. % returns the remainder.

Exponent Operator (**)

The exponent operator is used to calculate the power of a number.

print(10 ** 2)

Output:

100

Explanation: 10 × 10 = 100.
We can also use the multiplication operator with strings.

name = "prem "
print(name * 3)

Output:

prem prem prem

ZeroDivisionError

We cannot divide a number by zero in Python.

no1 = 10
no2 = 0

print(no1 / no2)

Output:

ZeroDivisionError

Python raises a ZeroDivisionError when we try to divide a number by zero.

Relational Operators

Relational operators are also called comparison operators.

They are used to compare two values. The result will be either True or False.

Example

no1, no2 = 10, 20

print(no1 > no2)
print(no1 < no2)
print(no1 >= no2)
print(no1 <= no2)

Output:

False
True
False
True
String Comparison

Python compares strings using Lexicographical Order.

It compares characters one by one based on their Unicode values.

name1 = 'ajith'
name2 = 'ajithkumar'

print(name1 > name2)
print(name1 < name2)

Output:

False
True

True and False Comparison

In Python:

True is equal to 1.

False is equal to 0.

print(True > True)
print(False > True)
print(False < True)

Output:

False
False
True

Operator Chaining

Python allows us to use multiple comparison operators in a single expression. This is called Operator Chaining.

no1, no2, no3 = 100, 200, 300

print(no3 > no2 < no1)
print(no3 > no2 > no1)

Output:

False
True

Explanation:

no3 > no2 < no1

It checks:

300 > 200 → True

200 < 100 → False

Both conditions must be True. So the final result is False.

Equality Operator

The equality operator (==) checks whether two values are equal.

The not equal operator (!=) checks whether two values are different.

name1 = 'sanjay'
name2 = 'sanjay'

print(name1 == name2)
print(name1 != name2)

Output:

True
False

** Logical Operators**

Logical operators are used to combine multiple conditions.

Python has three logical operators:

AND

OR

NOT

AND Operator

The AND operator returns True only when both conditions are True.
print(True and True)
print(True and False)
print(False and True)

Output:

True
False
False

OR Operator

The OR operator returns True if at least one condition is True.
print(True or False)
print(False or True)
print(False or False)

Output:

True
True
False

NOT Operator

The NOT operator reverses the result.

True becomes False.

False becomes True.

print(not True)
print(not False)

Output:

False
True
Logical Operators with Values

Python logical operators can return values instead of only True or False.

no1, no2 = 10, 20

print(no1 and no2)
print(10 and 20)

Output:

20
20

Explanation:

Both 10 and 20 are non-zero values, so both are considered True.

The AND operator returns the second value when the first value is True.

NOT with Strings

print(not 'Vishnu')
print(not '')

Output:

False
True

• A non-empty string is considered True.
• An empty string is considered False.
• The NOT operator reverses the result.