=head1 SYNOPSIS
- $n = 1234; # decimal integer
- $n = 0b1110011; # binary integer
- $n = 01234; # octal integer
- $n = 0x1234; # hexadecimal integer
- $n = 12.34e-56; # exponential notation
- $n = "-12.34e56"; # number specified as a string
- $n = "1234"; # number specified as a string
- $n = v49.50.51.52; # number specified as a string, which in
- # turn is specified in terms of numbers :-)
+ $n = 1234; # decimal integer
+ $n = 0b1110011; # binary integer
+ $n = 01234; # octal integer
+ $n = 0x1234; # hexadecimal integer
+ $n = 12.34e-56; # exponential notation
+ $n = "-12.34e56"; # number specified as a string
+ $n = "1234"; # number specified as a string
+ $n = v49.50.51.52; # number specified as a string, which in
+ # turn is specified in terms of numbers :-)
=head1 DESCRIPTION
=over 4
-=item Arithmetic operators except, C<no integer>
+=item Arithmetic operators
-force the argument into the floating point format.
+The binary operators C<+> C<-> C<*> C</> C<%> C<==> C<!=> C<E<gt>> C<E<lt>>
+C<E<gt>=> C<E<lt>=> and the unary operators C<-> C<abs> and C<--> will
+attempt to convert arguments to integers. If both conversions are possible
+without loss of precision, and the operation can be performed without
+loss of precision then the integer result is used. Otherwise arguments are
+converted to floating point format and the floating point result is used.
+The caching of conversions (as described above) means that the integer
+conversion does not throw away fractional parts on floating point numbers.
-=item Arithmetic operators except, C<use integer>
+=item ++
-=item Bitwise operators, C<no integer>
+C<++> behaves as the other operators above, except that if it is a string
+matching the format C</^[a-zA-Z]*[0-9]*\z/> the string increment described
+in L<perlop> is used.
-force the argument into the integer format if it is not a string.
+=item Arithmetic operators during C<use integer>
-=item Bitwise operators, C<use integer>
+In scopes where C<use integer;> is in force, nearly all the operators listed
+above will force their argument(s) into integer format, and return an integer
+result. The exceptions, C<abs>, C<++> and C<-->, do not change their
+behavior with C<use integer;>
-force the argument into the integer format
+=item Other mathematical operators
+
+Operators such as C<**>, C<sin> and C<exp> force arguments to floating point
+format.
+
+=item Bitwise operators
+
+Arguments are forced into the integer format if not strings.
+
+=item Bitwise operators during C<use integer>
+
+forces arguments to integer format. Also shift operations internally use
+signed integers rather than the default unsigned.
=item Operators which expect an integer
Editorial adjustments by Gurusamy Sarathy <gsar@ActiveState.com>
+Updates for 5.8.0 by Nicholas Clark <nick@ccl4.org>
+
=head1 SEE ALSO
-L<overload>
+L<overload>, L<perlop>