1.
%d – Integer (Decimal)
Explanation:
%d is used to print or read signed integers (both positive and negative whole numbers).
It reads an integer input from the user and outputs the integer in decimal format.
Code:
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
int num;
printf("Enter an integer: ");
scanf("%d", &num); // Reading integer input from the user
printf("You entered: %d\n", num); // Printing the integer entered by the
user
return 0;
}
scanf("%d", &num) is used to read an integer.
printf("%d", num) is used to print the integer.
2. %f – Floating-point Numbers
Explanation:
%f is used for floating-point numbers (numbers with a decimal point). This specifier
works for float data types.
It reads a decimal number and prints it in the default floating-point format.
Code:
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
float num;
printf("Enter a floating-point number: ");
scanf("%f", &num); // Reading floating-point number input
printf("You entered: %f\n", num); // Printing the floating-point number
return 0;
}
scanf("%f", &num) is used to read a floating-point number.
printf("%f", num) prints the floating-point number.
3. %lf – Double (Floating-point)
Explanation:
%lf is used for double precision floating-point numbers (double data type).
double allows for greater precision compared to float.
Code:
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
double num;
printf("Enter a double: ");
scanf("%lf", &num); // Reading double precision floating-point number
printf("You entered: %lf\n", num); // Printing the double precision
floating-point number
return 0;
}
scanf("%lf", &num) is used to read a double-precision floating-point number.
printf("%lf", num) prints the double value.
4. %c – Character
Explanation:
%c is used to read and print a single character.
It works with char data types.
Code:
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
char ch;
printf("Enter a character: ");
scanf("%c", &ch); // Reading a single character
printf("You entered: %c\n", ch); // Printing the character entered
return 0;
}
scanf("%c", &ch) is used to read a character input.
printf("%c", ch) prints the entered character.
5. %s – String
Explanation:
%s is used to read and print a string (a sequence of characters).
Note that scanf("%s", str) will read a string without spaces. If you want to input a
string with spaces, you should use fgets().
Code:
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
char str[100];
printf("Enter a string: ");
scanf("%s", str); // Reading a string (no spaces)
printf("You entered: %s\n", str); // Printing the string
return 0;
}
scanf("%s", str) reads a string of characters without spaces.
printf("%s", str) prints the string entered by the user.
6. %x / %X – Hexadecimal (Lowercase/Uppercase)
Explanation:
%x prints integers in lowercase hexadecimal format (using a-f for 10-15).
%X prints integers in uppercase hexadecimal format (using A-F for 10-15).
Code:
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
int num;
printf("Enter an integer: ");
scanf("%d", &num); // Reading integer input
printf("Hexadecimal (lowercase): %x\n", num); // Printing in lowercase
hexadecimal format
printf("Hexadecimal (uppercase): %X\n", num); // Printing in uppercase
hexadecimal format
return 0;
}
scanf("%d", &num) reads an integer.
printf("%x", num) prints the integer in hexadecimal format (lowercase).
printf("%X", num) prints the integer in hexadecimal format (uppercase).
7. %o – Octal
Explanation:
%o is used to print integers in octal format (base 8).
Code:
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
int num;
printf("Enter an integer: ");
scanf("%d", &num); // Reading an integer
printf("Octal format: %o\n", num); // Printing the number in octal format
return 0;
}
scanf("%d", &num) reads an integer.
printf("%o", num) prints the number in octal format.
8. %e / %E – Exponential Notation
Explanation:
%e prints a floating-point number in exponential (scientific) notation with a lowercase 'e'.
%E prints the number with an uppercase 'E'.
Code:
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
float num;
printf("Enter a floating-point number: ");
scanf("%f", &num); // Reading floating-point number
printf("Scientific notation (lowercase): %e\n", num); // Printing in
scientific notation (lowercase)
printf("Scientific notation (uppercase): %E\n", num); // Printing in
scientific notation (uppercase)
return 0;
}
scanf("%f", &num) reads a floating-point number.
printf("%e", num) prints the number in scientific notation (lowercase).
printf("%E", num) prints the number in scientific notation (uppercase).
9. %g / %G – Shortened Exponential or Floating-point
Explanation:
%g prints the number in either exponential or floating-point format, depending on the
magnitude of the number. It uses lowercase letters for the scientific notation.
%G does the same but uses uppercase letters for the scientific notation.
Code:
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
double num;
printf("Enter a floating-point number: ");
scanf("%lf", &num); // Reading a floating-point number
printf("Shortened (lowercase): %g\n", num); // Printing the number in the
shortest format (lowercase)
printf("Shortened (uppercase): %G\n", num); // Printing the number in the
shortest format (uppercase)
return 0;
}
scanf("%lf", &num) reads a floating-point number as double.
printf("%g", num) prints the number in the shortest form (using
either scientific or
decimal format depending on the number's magnitude).
printf("%G", num) does the same as %g, but with uppercase formatting.
10. %p – Pointer Address
Explanation:
%p is used to print the memory address stored in a pointer variable.
Code:
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
int num = 10;
int *ptr = # // Pointer holding the address of num
printf("Address of num: %p\n", (void*)ptr); // Printing the memory
address stored in ptr
return 0;
}
scanf() is not used here because the program is just printing the pointer's address.
printf("%p", (void*)ptr) prints the address of the pointer variable.
11. %ld – Long Integer
Explanation:
%ld is used to print long integers. It is typically used when the size of an integer is larger
than a standard int.
Code:
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
long int num;
printf("Enter a long integer: ");
scanf("%ld", &num); // Reading a long integer
printf("You entered: %ld\n", num); // Printing the long integer
return 0;
}
scanf("%ld", &num) reads a long integer.
printf("%ld", num) prints the long integer.
12. %llu – Unsigned Long Long
Explanation:
%llu is used to print unsigned long long integers, which are large positive numbers.
Code:
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
unsigned long long num;
printf("Enter an unsigned long long integer: ");
scanf("%llu", &num); // Reading an unsigned long long integer
printf("You entered: %llu\n", num); // Printing the unsigned long long
integer
return 0;
}
scanf("%llu", &num) reads an unsigned long long integer.
printf("%llu", num) prints the unsigned long long integer.
13. %% – Literal Percent Sign
Explanation:
%% is used when you want to print a literal percent sign (%).
Code:
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
printf("This is 100%% correct!\n"); // Printing the literal percentage
sign
return 0;
}
%% prints a literal percent sign. It's useful when you want to display the percent symbol
without it being treated as a format specifier.
