Chapter 3. Examining Expressions and Statements

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  • Learn the essentials of C++ expressions

  • See how to use operators and operands

  • Learn to use C++ statements

  • Discover expression statements

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Overview

A compiler isn’t very smart—it can’t think. It needs a formal set of rules that exactly describes the C++ language so that it knows what we mean by each symbol and combination of letters in our source code. This formal set of rules about how C++ must be written is called C++ syntax. The set of rules that determines meaning and application of these syntax rules is called C++ semantics.

Syntax

The formal rules that govern how valid instructions are written in a programming language.

Semantics

The set of rules that provides the meaning of instructions ...

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