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R Academy · Lesson

Basic Arithmetic and Variables

Practice simple arithmetic operations in R and understand how to store values in variables.

Lesson 2 of 310 steps

Basic Arithmetic and Variables is a free R Academy lesson on CoddyKit. This is lesson 2 of 3. Any 3 lessons of this learning path are free to read in full — after that, CoddyKit PRO unlocks every lesson, plus hands-on practice with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the R Academy learning path, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app. The R Academy course includes 3 lessons in total.

Introduction to Arithmetic in R

R can be used as a simple calculator to perform arithmetic operations.

Basic Arithmetic and Variables — illustration 1

Basic Arithmetic Operations

R supports common mathematical operations:

  • Addition (+)
  • Subtraction (-)
  • Multiplication (*)
  • Division (/)
  • Exponentiation (^)
  • Modulo (%%)

Performing Calculations

Try performing basic calculations in R:

5 + 3
10 - 2
4 * 6
8 / 2
2^3
10 %% 3

Variables in R

Variables store values that can be reused.

x <- 10
y <- 5
z <- x + y

Assigning Values to Variables

Use the assignment operator <- to store values in variables.

Variable Naming Rules

Variable names:

  • Can contain letters, numbers, and underscores.
  • Cannot start with a number.
  • Are case-sensitive (e.g., Var and var are different).

Using Variables in Expressions

You can use variables in calculations:

x <- 10
y <- 2
z <- x * y

Checking Variable Types

You can check the type of a variable using the class() function.

x <- 42
class(x)

Summary

In this lesson, you learned how to:

  • Perform basic arithmetic operations.
  • Use variables to store values.
  • Check variable types.
Basic Arithmetic and Variables — illustration 10
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the “Basic Arithmetic and Variables” lesson free?

Yes — any 3 lessons of the R Academy learning path, including “Basic Arithmetic and Variables”, are free to read in full here on the web. After that, CoddyKit PRO unlocks every lesson, plus interactive practice with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. The R Academy course includes 3 lessons in total.

What will I learn in “Basic Arithmetic and Variables”?

Practice simple arithmetic operations in R and understand how to store values in variables. You practise R Academy with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.

Do I need any experience to start R Academy?

No prior experience is required. R Academy on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace. This is lesson 2 of 3.

How long does the “Basic Arithmetic and Variables” lesson take?

Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.

Can I write and run code in this R Academy lesson?

Yes. Every R Academy lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.

All lessons in this course

  1. Getting Started with RStudio
  2. Basic Arithmetic and Variables
  3. Workspaces and Projects
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