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Formula - Calculation expression

Enhanced Definition

In the context of mainframe computing, a calculation expression (often referred to as a formula) is a sequence of operands and operators that evaluates to a single numeric or string value. It defines a computation to be performed by a program or system utility, central to data processing in languages like COBOL, REXX, and SQL on z/OS systems.

Key Characteristics

- Operands: Can be numeric literals (e.g., 100, 3.14), variables (e.g., WS-AMOUNT, EMPLOYEE_SALARY), or function calls (e.g., SQRT(X)).
- Operators: Include arithmetic (+, -, *, /, ** for exponentiation), relational (=, >, <, etc.), and logical (AND, OR, NOT) operators.
- Precedence Rules: Operators are evaluated in a defined order (e.g., exponentiation before multiplication/division, which are before