expr - An Expression Calculation Tool

The expr command is a Linux utility tool used to evaluate and display mathematical expressions. It can perform arithmetic operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and modulus. This command is useful for shell scripts that require mathematical calculations.

Overview

The syntax for the expr command is as follows:

expr ARG1 OPERATOR ARG2

Where ARG1 and ARG2 are the expressions to be evaluated, and OPERATOR is the arithmetic operator. The result of the expression is then displayed on the standard output.

Examples

Here are some examples of how to use the expr command:

To add two numbers:

$ expr 10 + 5
15

To subtract two numbers:

$ expr 10 - 5
5

To multiply two numbers:

$ expr 10 \* 5
50

To divide two numbers:

$ expr 10 / 5
2

To get the remainder of a division:

$ expr 10 % 3
1

Specific Use Cases

The expr command can be used in various scenarios, including:

To calculate the total size of a directory or file
To perform calculations within shell scripts
To perform simple arithmetic operations on command-line arguments

Options

Here is a table of available options for the expr command:

Option	Description
`:`	Assigns the value of the expression to a variable
`length`	Returns the length of the string
`substr`	Returns a substring of a string
`match`	Searches for a regular expression pattern in a string
`index`	Returns the position of a substring in a string
`length`	Returns the length of a string
`+`	Adds two expressions
`-`	Subtracts two expressions
`*`	Multiplies two expressions
`/`	Divides two expressions
`%`	Returns the remainder of a division

Troubleshooting tips

Here are some common issues that you may encounter when using the expr command, along with their solutions:

Invalid Operator Error

If you receive an “invalid operator” error, make sure that you have specified the correct operator. Check for typos or incorrect syntax.

Division by Zero Error

If you receive a “division by zero” error, make sure that the second argument is not zero. If it is zero, change it to a non-zero value.

Syntax Error

If you receive a syntax error, make sure that you have correctly specified the arguments and operators. Check for typos or incorrect syntax.

Notes

The expr command can only perform integer arithmetic. It cannot handle floating-point numbers.
When using the multiplication operator *, you must escape it with a backslash (\) or enclose the expression in quotes to prevent shell expansion.

expr – An Expression Calculation Tool