User Guide > Project components > Arithmetic definitions explained

An arithmetic definition has a numerical value.

An arithmetic definition is some syntax that refers to other entries and constants, for example:

"$Q1 * 7" would be 28 (4 times 7) if Q1 has a value of 4.

Arithmetic can include:

•References to integer and float questions and variables

•References to single-coded questions and variables

•Constants with or without a decimal point

•+ meaning add

•- meaning minus

•* meaning times

•/ meaning divide

•Parentheses "(" and ")" to control the order of calculation

There are some special definitions that use:

•SCORE function to get the appropriate response score value for each respondent from an entry

•CT function to count the number of selected responses in a multi-coded entry

•MIN function to get the smallest value found in a list of other entries

•MAX function to get the largest value found in a list of other entries

IMPORTANT: there is no automatic priority for the order of calculation; it will be calculated from left to right unless parentheses are used.

For full details, see Reference Manual, Definitions, Arithmetic definitions.