arithmetic Command

Purpose

Tests arithmetic skills.

Syntax

arithmetic [ ] [  ] [  ] [  ] [  Range ]

Description

The arithmetic command displays simple arithmetic problems and waits for you to enter an answer. If your answer is correct, the program displays Right! and presents a new problem. If your answer is wrong, it displays What? and waits for another answer. After a set of 20 problems, the arithmetic command displays the number of correct and incorrect responses and the time required to answer.

The arithmetic command does not give the correct answers to the problems it displays. It provides practice rather than instruction in performing arithmetic calculations.

To quit the game, press the Interrupt (Ctrl-C) key sequence; the arithmetic command displays the final game statistics and exits.

Flags

The optional flags modify the action of the arithmetic command. These flags are:

Item Description
+ Specifies addition problems.
- Specifies subtraction problems.
x Specifies multiplication problems.
/ Specifies division problems.
Range A decimal number that specifies the permissible range of numbers. This range goes up to and includes 99. For addition and multiplication problems, the range applies to all numbers (except answers). For subtraction and division problems, the range applies only to the answers. At the start of the game, all numbers within this range are equally likely to appear. If you make a mistake, the numbers in the problem you missed become more likely to reappear.

If you do not select any flags, the arithmetic command selects addition and subtraction problems and a default range of 10. If you give more than one problem specifier (+, - ,x, /), the program mixes the specified types of problems in random order.

Examples

  1. To drill on addition and subtraction of integers from 0 to 10:
    arithmetic
  2. To drill on addition, multiplication, and division of integers from 0 to 50:
    arithmetic  +x/  50

File

Item Description
/usr/games Location of the system's games.