Bash: Integer expression expected [duplicate]

Question

I'm trying to perform simple math, to check if a variable is greater or equal to "1.5" but I'm getting [: 2.41: integer expression expected

Code:

reSum=$(expr "scale=1;555/230" | bc)

if [ $reSum -ge "1.5" ]; then
...
fi

How can I do floating-point comparisons in shell script?

From info expr < <= = == != >= >' Compare the arguments and return 1 if the relation is true, 0 otherwise. ==' is a synonym for ='. expr' first tries to convert both arguments to integers and do a numeric comparison; if either conversion fails, it does a lexicographic comparison using the character collating sequence specified by the `LC_COLLATE' locale. — shellter
– shellter, Commented Jul 30, 2013 at 23:21

9 revs · Accepted Answer · 2015-10-22 17:34:01Z

9

if echo 555 230 | awk '{exit $1/$2 >= 1.5 ? 0 : 1}'
then
  # ...
fi

edited Oct 22, 2015 at 17:34

community wiki

9 revs
Steven Penny

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1 Comment

Larry Over a year ago

no external packages needed with this!

lifus · Accepted Answer · 2013-07-31 03:50:47Z

2

Edit:

The shortest solution that works for me:

reSum=$(expr "scale=1;555/230" | bc)

if (( `echo $reSum'>='1.5 | bc` )); then
  # anything
fi

As pointed out by shellter, [ $(expr "$reSum > 1.5" | bc) ] actually does a lexicographic comparison. So, for example, expr "2.4 > 18 | bc" // =>0.

However, (( `echo $reSum'>='1.5 | bc` )) does floating point comparison rather than strings.

edited Jul 31, 2013 at 3:50

answered Jul 30, 2013 at 23:15

lifus

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