Why do I get a number when I add chars? [duplicate]

Question

I once decided to add two chars together, and it gave me a number. Here's the code:

class Main {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    System.out.println('a'+'b');
  }
}

Output: 195.

I've searched in a lot of places, but I still couldn't figure out why a char + char = int. Can someone explain this to me?

NOTE: THIS IS NOT A DUPLICATE!! The other question is asking the data type of an added char. This question asks why this happens. Those are DIFFERENT QUESTIONS WITH DIFFERENT ANSWERS!

Here's a decent read on the subject: vias.org/javacourse/chap07_09.html — Tim Hunter
– Tim Hunter, Commented Mar 1, 2021 at 20:13
You can check this answer here stackoverflow.com/a/8688708/9462470 — b_hunter
– b_hunter, Commented Mar 1, 2021 at 20:15
A simplified way to think about is that char variables contain a number value which represents it's position in the ASCII table. Arithmetic operations using char have various behaviors depending on how it's used because a char contains a number value but represents an character so the system will perform automatic conversions depending on the context of its use. — Tim Hunter
– Tim Hunter, Commented Mar 1, 2021 at 20:26

Majed Badawi · Accepted Answer · 2021-03-01 20:11:36Z

1

You're adding their ASCII values:

'a'+'b' = 97+98 = 195

answered Mar 1, 2021 at 20:11

Majed Badawi

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Lansana Diomande · Accepted Answer · 2021-03-01 20:16:14Z

1

If you want to concatanate, try this :

System.out.println("a"+"b");

answered Mar 1, 2021 at 20:16

Lansana Diomande

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score 1 · Accepted Answer · 2021-03-01 20:32:23Z

1

5.1. Kinds of Conversion

This code implicitly casts them to String:

System.out.println("" + 'a' + 'b'); //ab

And this code casts to double:

System.out.println(.8 + 'a' + 'b'); //195.8

edited Mar 1, 2021 at 20:32

answered Mar 1, 2021 at 20:15

user15309136

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