Comparison of Infix, Prefix and Postfix Expressions
Let’s compare infix, prefix, and postfix notations across various criteria:
| spect | Infix Notation | Prefix Notation (Polish Notation) | Postfix Notation (Reverse Polish Notation) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Readability | Human-readable | Less human-readable, requires familiarity | Less human-readable, requires familiarity |
| Operator Placement | Between operands | Before operands | After operands |
| Parentheses Requirement | Often required | Not required | Not required |
| Operator Precedence Tracking | Required, parentheses determine precedence | Not required, operators have fixed precedence | Not required, operators have fixed precedence |
| Evaluation Method | Left-to-right | Right-to-left | Left-to-right |
| Ambiguity Handling | May require explicit use of parentheses | Ambiguity rare, straightforward evaluation | Ambiguity rare, straightforward evaluation |
| Unary Operator Handling | Requires careful placement | Simplified handling due to explicit notation | Simplified handling due to explicit notation |
| Computer Efficiency | Less efficient due to precedence tracking and parentheses handling | More efficient due to fixed precedence and absence of parentheses | More efficient due to fixed precedence and absence of parentheses |
| Usage | Common in everyday arithmetic and mathematical notation | Common in computer science and programming languages | Common in computer science and programming languages |
Infix, Postfix and Prefix Expressions/Notations
Mathematical formulas often involve complex expressions that require a clear understanding of the order of operations. To represent these expressions, we use different notations, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. In this article, we will explore three common expression notations: infix, prefix, and postfix.
Table of Content
- Infix Expressions
- Advantages of Infix Expressions
- Disadvantages Infix Expressions
- Prefix Expressions (Polish Notation)
- Advantages of Prefix Expressions
- Disadvantages of Prefix Expressions
- Postfix Expressions (Reverse Polish Notation)
- Advantages of Postfix Notation
- Disadvantages of Postfix Expressions
- Comparison of Infix, Prefix and Postfix Expressions
- Frequently Asked Questions on Infix, Postfix and Prefix Expressions