Re: [Help-bash] Arithmetic evaluation / expansion question

[Andy Chu]

> I noted in the man page that null or unset variables evaluate to zero.
> Above, pd is a defined variable which holds "abc" (a string not beginning
> with zero - non-octal)
> pd is "arithmetically" evaluated to zero.  Is this as intended?  I.E. can
> this behavior be relied upon?
>

In an arithmetic context, pd is evaluated identically to $pd, so yes.  Just
think of it as the $ being optional.

Andy