Windows
Linux
Terminal & Shell Scripting
Terminal
Windows set /a (arithmetic) equivalent in Linux
Evaluates mathematical expressions in scripts or at the command line.
Windows
→
set /a (arithmetic)
Linux equivalents
$(( expression ))
$(( expression ))
$(( expression ))
Overview
What this command does
Evaluates mathematical expressions in scripts or at the command line.
Migration tip: Use
$(( )) for integer arithmetic in bash — fast and built-in. For floating point maths use bc or python3 -c 'print(...)'.Practical tasks
Common use cases
Perform arithmetic calculations
Evaluates mathematical expressions in scripts or at the command line.
echo $((5 + 3))
Simple arithmetic
echo $((2 ** 10))
Power: 2^10 = 1024
echo $((100 / 3))
Integer division
Ready to run
Copyable Linux commands
Review paths, device names, package names and permissions before running any command.
echo $((5 + 3))
echo $((10 * 7))
echo $((2 ** 8))
echo 'scale=2; 10/3' | bc
Walkthrough
Examples with explanations
# Windows: set /a result = 5 + 3
echo $((5 + 3)) # 8
echo $((10 * 7)) # 70
echo $((2 ** 8)) # 256
# Floating point:
echo 'scale=2; 10/3' | bc # 3.33Reference
Common options and variations
| Command or option | Use |
|---|---|
echo $((5 + 3)) | Simple arithmetic |
echo $((2 ** 10)) | Power: 2^10 = 1024 |
echo $((100 / 3)) | Integer division |
echo 'scale=4; 22/7' | bc | Float with 4 decimal places |
python3 -c 'print(22/7)' | Float via Python |
Distro differences
Debian/Ubuntu vs Fedora vs Arch
This command is the same on Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch Linux when the relevant tool is installed.
| Distribution | Package manager / base | Equivalent command | Difference to notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian/Ubuntu | same command | $(( expression )) |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Fedora | same command | $(( expression )) |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Arch | same command | $(( expression )) |
Same command on this distribution. |
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