# Operand vs Unary - What's the difference?

operand | unary |

## In context|mathematics|lang=en terms the difference between operand and unary

is that operand is (mathematics) a quantity to which an operator is applied (in $3 - x$, the operands of the subtraction operator are 3 and $x$) while unary is (mathematics) the unary numeral system; the bijective base-1 numeral system.

## As nouns the difference between operand and unary

is that operand is (mathematics) a quantity to which an operator is applied (in $3 - x$, the operands of the subtraction operator are 3 and $x$) while unary is (mathematics) the unary numeral system; the bijective base-1 numeral system.

## As a adjective unary is

consisting of or involving a single element or component.

# operand

## English

### Noun

(en noun)
• (mathematics, computing) A quantity to which an operator is applied (in $3 - x$, the operands of the subtraction operator are 3 and $x$).
• * 1992 , Michael A. Miller, The 68000 Microprocessor Family: Architecture, Programming, and Applications (page 47)
• When the microprocessor decodes the JSR opcode, it stores the operand into the TEMP register and pushes the current contents of the PC (\$00 0128) onto the stack.

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# unary

## English

(-)
• Consisting of or involving a single element or component.
• (mathematics, programming, computer engineering) Of an operation, function, procedure or input; having domain of dimension 1.
• Negation is a unary operation.

### Noun

(unaries)
• (mathematics) The unary numeral system; the bijective base-1 numeral system.
• (information theory) Unary coding, an entropy encoding for natural numbers.
• #### Coordinate terms

* binary * ternary