Which term describes a symbol that performs a specific function such as + or -?

Which term describes a symbol that performs a specific function such as + or -?

• A. Output
• B. Operator
• C. Program
• D. Variable

Answer: (B)

Symbols like + or - are operators — they perform a specific operation on one or more operands. In arithmetic, the operator defines what to do with the values it combines, such as addition or subtraction, and there are also operators for multiplication, division, comparisons, and logic. The key idea is that the symbol itself dictates the action to take, not the data it uses or the result it produces. This is different from output, which is the result or display you see after computation; a program, which is a sequence of instructions; and a variable, which stores a value. For example, in 3 + 4, the plus symbol is the operator that specifies the addition operation between the two numbers.

Symbols like + or - are operators — they perform a specific operation on one or more operands. In arithmetic, the operator defines what to do with the values it combines, such as addition or subtraction, and there are also operators for multiplication, division, comparisons, and logic. The key idea is that the symbol itself dictates the action to take, not the data it uses or the result it produces.

This is different from output, which is the result or display you see after computation; a program, which is a sequence of instructions; and a variable, which stores a value. For example, in 3 + 4, the plus symbol is the operator that specifies the addition operation between the two numbers.