Operators#

Introduction #

The Operator blocks in VEXcode EXP help the robot work with numbers and words. These blocks can solve math problems, compare values, evaluating if conditions are true or false, and working with strings. Strings can be used to print values and words.

Below is a list of available blocks:

math operator – Performs addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division.
comparison operator – Compares two values using greater than, less than, or equal to operators.
logical operator – Evaluates multiple conditions using and or or.
not operator – Inverts a Boolean value.
range operator – Checks if a number falls within a range.
pick random – Generates a random number within a specified range.
round number – Rounds a number to the nearest whole number.
math functions – Applies operations such as square root, trigonometry, logarithms, and exponentiation.
atan2 – Computes the inverse tangent of y/x.
remainder – Reports the remainder of a division operation.
join – Combines two strings into one.
letter – Extracts a character from a string by position.
length – Reports the number of characters in a string.
contains – Checks if a string includes a specific word or character.
convert – Converts a number into text, a whole number, or a decimal.

math operator #

The math operator reporter block performs basic math operations on the values placed on either side of the operator. It returns a result based on the project’s print precision, which defaults to 0 decimal places but can be adjusted using the set print precision on screen or set print precision on console blocks.

The Math operator reporter block.#

    ([0] [math_plus v] [0])

Parameters	Description
value 1	The first number used in the operation.
operator	The mathematical operator to use: + - Addition - - Subtraction * - Multiplication / - Division
value 2	The second number used in the operation.

Parameters

Description

value 1

The first number used in the operation.

operator

The mathematical operator to use:

+ - Addition
- - Subtraction
* - Multiplication
/ - Division

value 2

The second number used in the operation.

Example

  when started
  [Perform basic addition and show two decimal places.]
  set print precision to [0.01 v] on screen
  print ([10] [math_plus v] [10.5]) on screen ▶

comparison operator #

The comparison operator Boolean block reports whether the comparison between two values is True or False.

True – The comparison is correct (e.g., 5 > 3 returns True).
False – The comparison is incorrect (e.g., 2 ≥ 5 returns False).

The Comparison operator Boolean block.#

    <[0] [math_equal v] [0]>

Parameter	Description
value 1	The first value to compare.
operator	The comparison to use: = - Equal to < - Less than ≤ - Less than or equal to > - Greater than ≥ - Greater than or equal to
value 2	The second value to compare.

Parameter

Description

value 1

The first value to compare.

operator

The comparison to use:

= - Equal to
< - Less than
≤ - Less than or equal to
> - Greater than
≥ - Greater than or equal to

value 2

The second value to compare.

Example

  when started
  [Turn right until the heading reaches 90 degrees.]
  turn [right v]
  wait [0.5] seconds
  wait until <(drive heading in degrees) [math_greater_than v] [90]>
  stop driving

logical operator #

The logical operator Boolean block reports whether the logical condition between multiple values is True or False.

True – The logic condition is met.
False – The logic condition is not met.

The Logical Operator Boolean block.#

    <<> [and v] <>>

Parameter	Description
condition 1	The first Boolean condition to evaluate.
operator	The logical operator to use: and reports True if both conditions are True. or reports True if at least one condition is True.
condition 2	The second Boolean condition to evaluate.

Example

  when started
  [Display if the ▼ and B Controller buttons are pressed.]
  forever
    clear screen
    set cursor to row [1] column [1] on screen
    if <<[Controller1 v] [▼ v] pressed?> [and v] <[Controller1 v] [B v] pressed?>> then
    print [Buttons pressed!] on screen ▶
    end
  end

not operator #

The not operator Boolean block inverts the result of a Boolean block. If the input is True, it reports False, and if the input is False, it reports True.

True – The input condition would normally report False.
False – The input condition would normally report True.

The Not Operator Boolean block.#

    <not <>>

Parameter	Description
condition	The Boolean condition to be inverted.

Example

  when started
  [Turn until the robot is facing left. ]
  forever
  if <not <(drive heading in degrees) [math_greater_than v] [270]>> then
  turn [right v]
  else
  stop driving

range operator #

The range operator Boolean block reports whether a value falls within a specified range.

True – If the value is within the range.
False – If the value is outside the range.

The Range Operator Boolean block.#

    <[0] [math_less_than v] [0] [math_less_than v] [0]>

Parameter	Description
first operator	The comparison operator to use: < - Less than ≤ - Less than or equal to > - Greater than ≥ - Greater than or equal to
value	The value to check.
second operator	The comparison operator to use: < - Less than ≤ - Less than or equal to > - Greater than ≥ - Greater than or equal to

Parameter

Description

first operator

The comparison operator to use:

< - Less than
≤ - Less than or equal to
> - Greater than
≥ - Greater than or equal to

value

The value to check.

second operator

The comparison operator to use:

< - Less than
≤ - Less than or equal to
> - Greater than
≥ - Greater than or equal to

Example

    when started
    [Turn and display when facing forward or back. ]
    turn [right v] for [360] degrees ◀ and don't wait
    forever
    clear screen
    set cursor to row [1] column [1] on screen
    if <[90] [math_less_than v] (drive heading in degrees) [math_less_than v] [270]> then
    print [Facing backward!] on screen ▶
    else
    print [Facing forward!] on screen ▶

pick random #

The pick random reporter block reports a random positive or negative number between a minimum and a maximum. It can return both the min value and the max value. For example, picking 1 to 10 can return any whole number from 1 through 10.

The Pick Random reporter block.#

    pick random [1] to [10]

Parameters	Description
min	The lowest possible number that can be picked.
max	The highest possible number that can be picked.

Examples

  when started
  [Display a number between 1 and 10.]
  print (pick random [1] to [10]) on screen ▶

round number #

The round number reporter block reports the given number rounded to the nearest whole number, following standard rounding rules:

If the decimal is 0.5 or greater, the number rounds up.
If the decimal is less than 0.5, the number rounds down.

The Round Number reporter block.#

    (round [0] to [0] decimal places)

Parameter	Description
number	The number to round.
decimal places	The amount of decimals places to round to.

Example

  when started
  [Display the rounded result of 10 / 3.]
  set print precision to [0.01 v] on screen
  print (round ([10] [math_division v] [3]) to [1] decimal places) on screen ▶

math functions #

The math functions reporter block applies a selected mathematical function to a given number and returns the result. It supports operations such as absolute value, rounding, square roots, trigonometric functions, logarithms, and exponentiation.

The Math Functions reporter block.#

    [abs v] of [0]

Parameter	Description
function	The mathematical operation to apply to the input value: abs - Absolute value floor - Rounds down ceiling - Rounds up sqrt - Square root sin - Sine cos - Cosine tan - Tangent asin - Inverse sine acos - Inverse cosine atan - Inverse tangent ln - Natural logarithm log - Base 10 logarithm e^ - Euler’s number raised to a power 10^ - 10 raised to a power negative - Reports the negative of the number
number	The number to apply the function to.

Parameter

Description

function

The mathematical operation to apply to the input value:

abs - Absolute value
floor - Rounds down
ceiling - Rounds up
sqrt - Square root
sin - Sine
cos - Cosine
tan - Tangent
asin - Inverse sine
acos - Inverse cosine
atan - Inverse tangent
ln - Natural logarithm
log - Base 10 logarithm
e^ - Euler’s number raised to a power
10^ - 10 raised to a power
negative - Reports the negative of the number

number

The number to apply the function to.

Example

  when started
  [Display the square root of 16.]
  print ([sqrt v] of [16]) on screen ▶

atan2 #

The atan2 reporter block reports the inverse tangent of Y/X as an angle in degrees, representing the angle between the positive X-axis and the point (X, Y).

  (atan2 of x:[4] y:[3])

Parameter	Description
x	The horizontal position of the point, measured from the origin (0,0).
y	The vertical position of the point, measured from the origin (0,0).

Example

  when started
  [Calculate the angle from current position (4, 3).]
  print (atan2 of x:[4] y:[3]) on screen ▶

remainder #

The remainder reporter block reports the remainder of the division operation between two values.

The Remainder reporter block.#

    (remainder of [0] / [0])

Parameter	Description
dividend	The number to be divided.
divisor	The number to divide by.

Example

  when started
  [Display the remainder of 10 / 3.]
  print (remainder of [10] / [3]) on screen ▶

join #

The join reporter block reports a single string that combines two input strings.

The Join reporter block.#

    (join [apple] [banana])

parameter	description
string 1	The first string to combine.
string 2	The second string to combine.

  when started
  [Display "VEXcode" on the screen.]
  print (join [VEX] [code]) on screen ▶

letter #

The letter reporter block reports a single-character string from the specified position in the given string.

The Letter reporter block.#

    (letter [1] of [apple])

parameter	description
position	The position of the character in the string (starting at 1).
string	The string to extract a letter from.

  when started
  [Display the first letter of "Robot".]
  print (letter (1) of [Robot]) on screen ▶

length #

The length reporter block reports the number of characters in the specified string, including spaces.

The Length reporter block.#

    (length of [apple])

parameter	description
string	The string to measure the length of.

Example

  when started
  [Count the number of characters in "VEX Robotics".]
  print (length of [VEX Robotics]) on screen ▶

contains #

The contains Boolean block reports whether the specified string includes the given word or character.

True – The string includes that specific word or character.
False – The string does not include that specific word or character.

The Contains Boolean block.#

    <[apple] contains [a]?>

parameter	description
string	The main string to search within.
search term	The word or character to check for inside the string.

Example

  when started
  [Check if "robotics" contains "bot".]
  if <[robotics] contains [bot]?> then
    print [The word contains "bot".] on screen ▶
  else
    print [Not found.] on screen ▶
  end

convert #

The convert reporter block reports the value of a number converted to the specified type, either as text or a number.

text – Converts the number to a string. Numbers must be in string format to work with String Operator blocks.
number – Converts the number to a decimal value.

The Convert reporter block.#

    (convert [0] to [text v])

parameter	description
value	The number to convert.
type	The type to convert the number into: text number

parameter

description

value

The number to convert.

type

The type to convert the number into:

text
number

Example

  when started :: hat events
  [Display the robot's heading as it turns.]
  turn [right v]
  forever
  clear all rows
  print (join [Currently facing: ] (convert (drive heading in degrees) to [text v])) ▶
  wait [0.5] seconds