Expression Evaluation

21 Jun, 2022
Evaluate an expression represented by a String. The expression can contain parentheses, you can assume parentheses are well-matched. For simplicity, you can assume only binary operations allowed are +, -, *, and /. Arithmetic Expressions can be written in one of three forms:
Infix Notation: Operators are written between the operands they operate on, e.g. 3 + 4.
Prefix Notation: Operators are written before the operands, e.g + 3 4
Postfix Notation: Operators are written after operands.
Infix Expressions are harder for Computers to evaluate because of the additional work needed to decide precedence. Infix notation is how expressions are written and recognized by humans and, generally, input to programs. Given that they are harder to evaluate, they are generally converted to one of the two remaining forms. A very well known algorithm for converting an infix notation to a postfix notation is Shunting Yard Algorithm by Edgar Dijkstra. 
This algorithm takes as input an Infix Expression and produces a queue that has this expression converted to postfix notation. The same algorithm can be modified so that it outputs the result of the evaluation of expression instead of a queue. The trick is using two stacks instead of one, one for operands, and one for operators. 
1. While there are still tokens to be read in,
   1.1 Get the next token.
   1.2 If the token is:
       1.2.1 A number: push it onto the value stack.
       1.2.2 A variable: get its value, and push onto the value stack.
       1.2.3 A left parenthesis: push it onto the operator stack.
       1.2.4 A right parenthesis:
         1 While the thing on top of the operator stack is not a 
           left parenthesis,
             1 Pop the operator from the operator stack.
             2 Pop the value stack twice, getting two operands.
             3 Apply the operator to the operands, in the correct order.
             4 Push the result onto the value stack.
         2 Pop the left parenthesis from the operator stack, and discard it.
       1.2.5 An operator (call it thisOp):
         1 While the operator stack is not empty, and the top thing on the
           operator stack has the same or greater precedence as thisOp,
           1 Pop the operator from the operator stack.
           2 Pop the value stack twice, getting two operands.
           3 Apply the operator to the operands, in the correct order.
           4 Push the result onto the value stack.
         2 Push thisOp onto the operator stack.
2. While the operator stack is not empty,
    1 Pop the operator from the operator stack.
    2 Pop the value stack twice, getting two operands.
    3 Apply the operator to the operands, in the correct order.
    4 Push the result onto the value stack.
3. At this point the operator stack should be empty, and the value
   stack should have only one value in it, which is the final result.
Implementation: It should be clear that this algorithm runs in linear time – each number or operator is pushed onto and popped from Stack only once. 
C++
Java
Python3
C#
Javascript
// CPP program to evaluate a given// expression where tokens are// separated by space.#include <bits/stdc++.h>using namespace std; // Function to find precedence of// operators.int precedence(char op){    if(op == '+'||op == '-')    return 1;    if(op == '*'||op == '/')    return 2;    return 0;} // Function to perform arithmetic operations.int applyOp(int a, int b, char op){    switch(op){        case '+': return a + b;        case '-': return a - b;        case '*': return a * b;        case '/': return a / b;    }} // Function that returns value of// expression after evaluation.int evaluate(string tokens){    int i;         // stack to store integer values.    stack <int> values;         // stack to store operators.    stack <char> ops;         for(i = 0; i < tokens.length(); i++){                 // Current token is a whitespace,        // skip it.        if(tokens[i] == ' ')            continue;                 // Current token is an opening        // brace, push it to 'ops'        else if(tokens[i] == '('){            ops.push(tokens[i]);        }                 // Current token is a number, push        // it to stack for numbers.        else if(isdigit(tokens[i])){            int val = 0;                         // There may be more than one            // digits in number.            while(i < tokens.length() &&                        isdigit(tokens[i]))            {                val = (val*10) + (tokens[i]-'0');                i++;            }                         values.push(val);                         // right now the i points to            // the character next to the digit,            // since the for loop also increases            // the i, we would skip one            //  token position; we need to            // decrease the value of i by 1 to            // correct the offset.              i--;        }                 // Closing brace encountered, solve        // entire brace.        else if(tokens[i] == ')')        {            while(!ops.empty() && ops.top() != '(')            {                int val2 = values.top();                values.pop();                                 int val1 = values.top();                values.pop();                                 char op = ops.top();                ops.pop();                                 values.push(applyOp(val1, val2, op));            }                         // pop opening brace.            if(!ops.empty())               ops.pop();        }                 // Current token is an operator.        else        {            // While top of 'ops' has same or greater            // precedence to current token, which            // is an operator. Apply operator on top            // of 'ops' to top two elements in values stack.            while(!ops.empty() && precedence(ops.top())                                >= precedence(tokens[i])){                int val2 = values.top();                values.pop();                                 int val1 = values.top();                values.pop();                                 char op = ops.top();                ops.pop();                                 values.push(applyOp(val1, val2, op));            }                         // Push current token to 'ops'.            ops.push(tokens[i]);        }    }         // Entire expression has been parsed at this    // point, apply remaining ops to remaining    // values.    while(!ops.empty()){        int val2 = values.top();        values.pop();                         int val1 = values.top();        values.pop();                         char op = ops.top();        ops.pop();                         values.push(applyOp(val1, val2, op));    }         // Top of 'values' contains result, return it.    return values.top();} int main() {    cout << evaluate("10 + 2 * 6") << "\n";    cout << evaluate("100 * 2 + 12") << "\n";    cout << evaluate("100 * ( 2 + 12 )") << "\n";    cout << evaluate("100 * ( 2 + 12 ) / 14");    return 0;} // This code is contributed by Nikhil jindal.
/* A Java program to evaluate a   given expression where tokens   are separated by space.*/import java.util.Stack; public class EvaluateString{    public static int evaluate(String expression)    {        char[] tokens = expression.toCharArray();          // Stack for numbers: 'values'        Stack<Integer> values = new                              Stack<Integer>();         // Stack for Operators: 'ops'        Stack<Character> ops = new                              Stack<Character>();         for (int i = 0; i < tokens.length; i++)        {                         // Current token is a            // whitespace, skip it            if (tokens[i] == ' ')                continue;             // Current token is a number,            // push it to stack for numbers            if (tokens[i] >= '0' &&                 tokens[i] <= '9')            {                StringBuffer sbuf = new                            StringBuffer();                                 // There may be more than one                // digits in number                while (i < tokens.length &&                        tokens[i] >= '0' &&                          tokens[i] <= '9')                    sbuf.append(tokens[i++]);                values.push(Integer.parseInt(sbuf.                                      toString()));                               // right now the i points to                // the character next to the digit,                // since the for loop also increases                // the i, we would skip one                //  token position; we need to                // decrease the value of i by 1 to                // correct the offset.                  i--;            }             // Current token is an opening brace,            // push it to 'ops'            else if (tokens[i] == '(')                ops.push(tokens[i]);             // Closing brace encountered,            // solve entire brace            else if (tokens[i] == ')')            {                while (ops.peek() != '(')                  values.push(applyOp(ops.pop(),                                   values.pop(),                                 values.pop()));                ops.pop();            }             // Current token is an operator.            else if (tokens[i] == '+' ||                     tokens[i] == '-' ||                     tokens[i] == '*' ||                        tokens[i] == '/')            {                // While top of 'ops' has same                // or greater precedence to current                // token, which is an operator.                // Apply operator on top of 'ops'                // to top two elements in values stack                while (!ops.empty() &&                       hasPrecedence(tokens[i],                                    ops.peek()))                  values.push(applyOp(ops.pop(),                                   values.pop(),                                 values.pop()));                 // Push current token to 'ops'.                ops.push(tokens[i]);            }        }         // Entire expression has been        // parsed at this point, apply remaining        // ops to remaining values        while (!ops.empty())            values.push(applyOp(ops.pop(),                             values.pop(),                           values.pop()));         // Top of 'values' contains        // result, return it        return values.pop();    }     // Returns true if 'op2' has higher    // or same precedence as 'op1',    // otherwise returns false.    public static boolean hasPrecedence(                           char op1, char op2)    {        if (op2 == '(' || op2 == ')')            return false;        if ((op1 == '*' || op1 == '/') &&            (op2 == '+' || op2 == '-'))            return false;        else            return true;    }     // A utility method to apply an    // operator 'op' on operands 'a'    // and 'b'. Return the result.    public static int applyOp(char op,                           int b, int a)    {        switch (op)        {        case '+':            return a + b;        case '-':            return a - b;        case '*':            return a * b;        case '/':            if (b == 0)                throw new                UnsupportedOperationException(                      "Cannot divide by zero");            return a / b;        }        return 0;    }     // Driver method to test above methods    public static void main(String[] args)    {        System.out.println(EvaluateString.                        evaluate("10 + 2 * 6"));        System.out.println(EvaluateString.                      evaluate("100 * 2 + 12"));        System.out.println(EvaluateString.                   evaluate("100 * ( 2 + 12 )"));        System.out.println(EvaluateString.             evaluate("100 * ( 2 + 12 ) / 14"));    }}
# Python3 program to evaluate a given# expression where tokens are# separated by space. # Function to find precedence# of operators.def precedence(op):         if op == '+' or op == '-':        return 1    if op == '*' or op == '/':        return 2    return 0 # Function to perform arithmetic# operations.def applyOp(a, b, op):         if op == '+': return a + b    if op == '-': return a - b    if op == '*': return a * b    if op == '/': return a // b # Function that returns value of# expression after evaluation.def evaluate(tokens):         # stack to store integer values.    values = []         # stack to store operators.    ops = []    i = 0         while i < len(tokens):                 # Current token is a whitespace,        # skip it.        if tokens[i] == ' ':            i += 1            continue                 # Current token is an opening        # brace, push it to 'ops'        elif tokens[i] == '(':            ops.append(tokens[i])                 # Current token is a number, push        # it to stack for numbers.        elif tokens[i].isdigit():            val = 0                         # There may be more than one            # digits in the number.            while (i < len(tokens) and                tokens[i].isdigit()):                             val = (val * 10) + int(tokens[i])                i += 1                         values.append(val)                         # right now the i points to            # the character next to the digit,            # since the for loop also increases            # the i, we would skip one            #  token position; we need to            # decrease the value of i by 1 to            # correct the offset.              i-=1                 # Closing brace encountered,        # solve entire brace.        elif tokens[i] == ')':                     while len(ops) != 0 and ops[-1] != '(':                             val2 = values.pop()                val1 = values.pop()                op = ops.pop()                                 values.append(applyOp(val1, val2, op))                         # pop opening brace.            ops.pop()                 # Current token is an operator.        else:                     # While top of 'ops' has same or            # greater precedence to current            # token, which is an operator.            # Apply operator on top of 'ops'            # to top two elements in values stack.            while (len(ops) != 0 and                precedence(ops[-1]) >=                   precedence(tokens[i])):                                         val2 = values.pop()                val1 = values.pop()                op = ops.pop()                                 values.append(applyOp(val1, val2, op))                         # Push current token to 'ops'.            ops.append(tokens[i])                 i += 1         # Entire expression has been parsed    # at this point, apply remaining ops    # to remaining values.    while len(ops) != 0:                 val2 = values.pop()        val1 = values.pop()        op = ops.pop()                         values.append(applyOp(val1, val2, op))         # Top of 'values' contains result,    # return it.    return values[-1] # Driver Codeif __name__ == "__main__":         print(evaluate("10 + 2 * 6"))    print(evaluate("100 * 2 + 12"))    print(evaluate("100 * ( 2 + 12 )"))    print(evaluate("100 * ( 2 + 12 ) / 14")) # This code is contributed# by Rituraj Jain
/* A C# program to evaluate a given   expression where tokens   are separated by space.*/using System;using System.Collections.Generic;using System.Text; public class EvaluateString{    public static int evaluate(string expression)    {        char[] tokens = expression.ToCharArray();          // Stack for numbers: 'values'        Stack<int> values = new Stack<int>();         // Stack for Operators: 'ops'        Stack<char> ops = new Stack<char>();         for (int i = 0; i < tokens.Length; i++)        {             // Current token is a whitespace, skip it            if (tokens[i] == ' ')            {                continue;            }             // Current token is a number,            // push it to stack for numbers            if (tokens[i] >= '0' && tokens[i] <= '9')            {                StringBuilder sbuf = new StringBuilder();                                 // There may be more than                // one digits in number                while (i < tokens.Length &&                        tokens[i] >= '0' &&                            tokens[i] <= '9')                {                    sbuf.Append(tokens[i++]);                }                values.Push(int.Parse(sbuf.ToString()));                               // Right now the i points to                // the character next to the digit,                // since the for loop also increases                // the i, we would skip one                //  token position; we need to                // decrease the value of i by 1 to                // correct the offset.                  i--;            }             // Current token is an opening            // brace, push it to 'ops'            else if (tokens[i] == '(')            {                ops.Push(tokens[i]);            }             // Closing brace encountered,            // solve entire brace            else if (tokens[i] == ')')            {                while (ops.Peek() != '(')                {                  values.Push(applyOp(ops.Pop(),                                   values.Pop(),                                  values.Pop()));                }                ops.Pop();            }             // Current token is an operator.            else if (tokens[i] == '+' ||                     tokens[i] == '-' ||                     tokens[i] == '*' ||                     tokens[i] == '/')            {                                 // While top of 'ops' has same                // or greater precedence to current                // token, which is an operator.                // Apply operator on top of 'ops'                // to top two elements in values stack                while (ops.Count > 0 &&                         hasPrecedence(tokens[i],                                     ops.Peek()))                {                  values.Push(applyOp(ops.Pop(),                                   values.Pop(),                                 values.Pop()));                }                 // Push current token to 'ops'.                ops.Push(tokens[i]);            }        }         // Entire expression has been        // parsed at this point, apply remaining        // ops to remaining values        while (ops.Count > 0)        {            values.Push(applyOp(ops.Pop(),                             values.Pop(),                            values.Pop()));        }         // Top of 'values' contains        // result, return it        return values.Pop();    }     // Returns true if 'op2' has    // higher or same precedence as 'op1',    // otherwise returns false.    public static bool hasPrecedence(char op1,                                     char op2)    {        if (op2 == '(' || op2 == ')')        {            return false;        }        if ((op1 == '*' || op1 == '/') &&               (op2 == '+' || op2 == '-'))        {            return false;        }        else        {            return true;        }    }     // A utility method to apply an    // operator 'op' on operands 'a'     // and 'b'. Return the result.    public static int applyOp(char op,                            int b, int a)    {        switch (op)        {        case '+':            return a + b;        case '-':            return a - b;        case '*':            return a * b;        case '/':            if (b == 0)            {                throw new                System.NotSupportedException(                       "Cannot divide by zero");            }            return a / b;        }        return 0;    }     // Driver method to test above methods    public static void Main(string[] args)    {        Console.WriteLine(EvaluateString.                     evaluate("10 + 2 * 6"));        Console.WriteLine(EvaluateString.                     evaluate("100 * 2 + 12"));        Console.WriteLine(EvaluateString.                   evaluate("100 * ( 2 + 12 )"));        Console.WriteLine(EvaluateString.               evaluate("100 * ( 2 + 12 ) / 14"));    }} // This code is contributed by Shrikant13
<script>    /* A Javascript program to evaluate a given       expression where tokens       are separated by space.    */         function evaluate(expression)    {        let tokens = expression.split('');           // Stack for numbers: 'values'        let values = [];          // Stack for Operators: 'ops'        let ops = [];          for (let i = 0; i < tokens.length; i++)        {             // Current token is a whitespace, skip it            if (tokens[i] == ' ')            {                continue;            }              // Current token is a number,            // push it to stack for numbers            if (tokens[i] >= '0' && tokens[i] <= '9')            {                let sbuf = "";                                  // There may be more than                // one digits in number                while (i < tokens.length &&                        tokens[i] >= '0' &&                            tokens[i] <= '9')                {                    sbuf = sbuf + tokens[i++];                }                values.push(parseInt(sbuf, 10));                                // Right now the i points to                // the character next to the digit,                // since the for loop also increases                // the i, we would skip one                //  token position; we need to                // decrease the value of i by 1 to                // correct the offset.                  i--;            }              // Current token is an opening            // brace, push it to 'ops'            else if (tokens[i] == '(')            {                ops.push(tokens[i]);            }              // Closing brace encountered,            // solve entire brace            else if (tokens[i] == ')')            {                while (ops[ops.length - 1] != '(')                {                  values.push(applyOp(ops.pop(),                                   values.pop(),                                  values.pop()));                }                ops.pop();            }              // Current token is an operator.            else if (tokens[i] == '+' ||                     tokens[i] == '-' ||                     tokens[i] == '*' ||                     tokens[i] == '/')            {                                  // While top of 'ops' has same                // or greater precedence to current                // token, which is an operator.                // Apply operator on top of 'ops'                // to top two elements in values stack                while (ops.length > 0 &&                         hasPrecedence(tokens[i],                                     ops[ops.length - 1]))                {                  values.push(applyOp(ops.pop(),                                   values.pop(),                                 values.pop()));                }                  // Push current token to 'ops'.                ops.push(tokens[i]);            }        }          // Entire expression has been        // parsed at this point, apply remaining        // ops to remaining values        while (ops.length > 0)        {            values.push(applyOp(ops.pop(),                             values.pop(),                            values.pop()));        }          // Top of 'values' contains        // result, return it        return values.pop();    }      // Returns true if 'op2' has    // higher or same precedence as 'op1',    // otherwise returns false.    function hasPrecedence(op1, op2)    {        if (op2 == '(' || op2 == ')')        {            return false;        }        if ((op1 == '*' || op1 == '/') &&               (op2 == '+' || op2 == '-'))        {            return false;        }        else        {            return true;        }    }      // A utility method to apply an    // operator 'op' on operands 'a'    // and 'b'. Return the result.    function applyOp(op, b, a)    {        switch (op)        {        case '+':            return a + b;        case '-':            return a - b;        case '*':            return a * b;        case '/':            if (b == 0)            {                document.write("Cannot divide by zero");            }            return parseInt(a / b, 10);        }        return 0;    }         document.write(evaluate("10 + 2 * 6") + "</br>");    document.write(evaluate("100 * 2 + 12") + "</br>");    document.write(evaluate("100 * ( 2 + 12 )") + "</br>");    document.write(evaluate("100 * ( 2 + 12 ) / 14") + "</br>"); // This code is contributed by decode2207.</script>
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212
1400
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Time Complexity: O(n) Space Complexity: O(n)See this for a sample run with more test cases.
nik1996
shrikanth13
rituraj_jain
harshitSingh_11
rishabh_malhotra
decode2207
hardikkoriintern
Oracle
Mathematical
Stack
Oracle
Mathematical
Stack
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