- hey guys i this script wont work

- the error is "expr: non-numeric argument"

The z=`expr x / y` line should be: z=`expr $x / $y`
Shell script vars are set without a '$', as in thisvar="somestring",
and when you use/read/display the var, you add a '$' as in: echo $thisvar

- why i didnt think of that thank you so much

in bash, you can also write z=$(($x / $y))

let try this, it's should work
let x=20
let y=5
z=`expr $x / $y`
echo $z

Don't use let; it is unnecessary and not portable.

Don't use expr for arithmetic unless you are using a Bourne shell which doesn't have internal arithmetic.

I also had this problem , I use CentOS 4.4 Version
I typed the script , but also had the error: {expr: non-numeric argument} from the test , but test2 which show 20(right)
Result :
expr: non-numeric argument
20

My shell script content :
---------------------------
#!/bin/sh
num1=10
num2=10
test='expr $num1 + $num2'
test2='expr 10 + 10'
$test
$test2
-----------------------------
I had tried , test3='expr $num1 + 1'
It is also error , non-numeric argument
Please help me asap!
Thks!

you have to use the "accent grave" aka "backtick" (`)(shift+ key next to backspace, not the single quot. mark) for inline commands (or $(command) in bash/sh/etc.), so write
Spot the difference between command execution in $test and storing the command in $test2 and later executing it.
(test2 is the wrong usage here, just for explanation)
The single quot. mark (', shift+#) will ignore special characters like the $ for variables,
so in your script the contents of $test will be literally "expr $num1 + $num2".
If you use double quot. marks (", shift+2) specaial chars are interpreted and the contents of $test
would be "expr 10 + 10". this would give an result wenn executed...

hope I made it clear now...
Flo


PS: The keyboard hints are for a german layout, i think, the accent key is at the same place in US layout, but not sure...

Firstly, I am very grateful with "doc.nice" for helping!
Thanks very much!
But I follow your advice to make !
--------------------------------------------
[root@entextile ~]# nl /usr/local/bin/test3
1 #!/bin/sh
2 num1=10
3 num2=10
4 today='date +%Y%m%d'
5 test1=$(expr $num1 + $num2)
6 test2='(expr $num1 + $num2)'
7 test3=$(expr $today - 1)
8 $today
9 echo $test1
10 $test1
11 echo $test2
12 $test2
13 echo $test3
14 $test3
-----------------------------------------------
The result is that.......
[root@entextile ~]# /usr/local/bin/test3
expr: syntax error
20070316
20
/usr/local/bin/test3: line 10: 20: command not found
(expr $num1 + $num2)
/usr/local/bin/test3: line 12: (expr: command not found

In fact, my target mainly is that I can use "$today - 1" , this formula for backup day by day!

Thanks for all support and helping!
I will try that, Let me give an indeed grateful of you!

thanks for the compliments,

oh not to forget a recent thread with the same problem:
if you use gnu date, try this:

today=`date -d "- 1 days" +%Y%m%d`

in my sample script, the lines
where only for demonstration what happend with your old code, the explanations by cfaj are absolutely correct.
(except the line: today=$(date +%Y%m%d`) there is a ` too much!)

HTH,
Flo