Postfix Expression

Postfix Expression
Infix expression is the form AOB
A and B are numbers or also infix expression O is operator ( +, -, *, / )

Postfix expression is the form ABO

A and B are numbers or also postfix expression O is operator ( +, -, *, / )

From Postfix to Answer

The reason to convert infix to postfix expression is that we can compute the answer of postfix expression easier by using a stack.

From Postfix to Answer

Ex: 10 2 8 * + 3 First, push(10) into the stack

10

From Postfix to Answer

Ex: 10 2 8 * + 3 Then, push(2) into the stack

2 10

From Postfix to Answer

Ex: 10 2 8 * + 3 Push(8) into the stack 8 2 10

From Postfix to Answer

Ex: 10 2 8 * + 3 Now we see an operator *, that means we can get an new number by calculation 8 2 10

From Postfix to Answer

Ex: 10 2 8 * + 3 Now we see an operator *, that means we can get an new number by calculation Pop the first two numbers 8 2 10 2 * 8 = 16

From Postfix to Answer

Ex: 10 2 8 * + 3 Now we see an operator *, that means we can get an new number by calculation Push the new number back 16 10 2 * 8 = 16

From Postfix to Answer

Ex: 10 2 8 * + 3 Then we see the next operator + and perform the calculation 16 10 10 + + 16 = 26

From Postfix to Answer

Ex: 10 2 8 * + 3 Then we see the next operator + and perform the calculation Push the new number back 10 + 16 = 26 26

From Postfix to Answer

Ex: 10 2 8 * + 3 We see the next number 3 Push (3) into the stack

3 26

Compute the Answer

Ex: 10 2 8 * + 3 The last operation

26 -

23

From Postfix to Answer

Ex: 10 2 8 * + 3 The last operation

26 23

23
answer!

From Postfix to Answer

Algorithm: maintain a stack and scan the postfix expression from left to right
If the element is a number, push it into the stack If the element is a operator O, pop twice and get A and B respectively. Calculate BOA and push it back to the stack When the expression is ended, the number in the stack is the final answer

Transform Infix to Postfix

Now, we have to design an algorithm to transform infix expression to postfix

Transform Infix to Postfix

Observation 1: The order of computation depends on the order of operators
The parentheses must be added according to the priority of operations. The priority of operator * and / is higher then those of operation + and If there are more than one equal-priority operators, we assume that the left ones priority is higher than the right ones
This is called left-to-right parsing.

Transform Infix to Postfix

Observation 1: The order of computation depends on the order of operators (cont.)
For example, to add parentheses for the expression 10 + 2 * 8 - 3, we first add parenthesis to 2 * 8 since its priority is highest in the expression. Then we add parenthesis to 10 + (2 * 8) since the priorities of + and are equal, and + is on the left of -. Finally, we add parenthesis to all the expression and get ((10 + (2 * 8)) - 3).

Transform Infix to Postfix

Observation 1: The order of computation depends on the order of operators (cont.)
The computation order of expression ((10 + (2 * 8)) - 3) is:
2 * 8 = 16 10 + 16 = 26 26 3 = 23 ((10 + 16) -3) (26 3) 23

Transform Infix to Postfix

Simplify the problem, how if there are only +/- operators?

Transform Infix to Postfix

Simplify the problem, how if there are only +/- operators? The leftmost operator will be done first
Ex: 10 - 2 + 3 8 + 3 11

Transform Infix to Postfix

Simplify the problem, how if there are only +/- operators? Algorithm: maintain a stack and scan the postfix expression from left to right
When we get a number, output it When we get an operator O, pop the top element in the stack if the stack is not empty and then push(O) into the stack

Transform Infix to Postfix

Simplify the problem, how if there are only +/- operators? Algorithm: maintain a stack and scan the postfix expression from left to right
When we get a number, output it When we get an operator O, pop the top element in the stack if the stack is not empty and then push(O) into the stack When the expression is ended, pop all the operators remain in the stack

Transform Infix to Postfix

Ex: 10 + 2 - 8 + 3 We see the first number 10, output it

10

Transform Infix to Postfix

Ex: 10 + 2 - 8 + 3 We see the first operator +, push(+) into the stack because at this moment the stack is empty 10 +

Transform Infix to Postfix

Ex: 10 + 2 - 8 + 3 We see the number 2, output it

10 2 +

Transform Infix to Postfix

Ex: 10 + 2 - 8 + 3 We see the operator -, pop the operator + and push(-) into the stack 10 2 + -

Transform Infix to Postfix

Ex: 10 + 2 - 8 + 3 We see the number 8, output it

10 2 + 8 -

Transform Infix to Postfix

Ex: 10 + 2 - 8 + 3 We see the operator +, pop the operator - and push(+) into the stack 10 2 + 8 +

Transform Infix to Postfix

Ex: 10 + 2 - 8 + 3 We see the number 3, output it

10 2 + 8 - 3 +

Transform Infix to Postfix

Ex: 10 + 2 - 8 + 3 We come to the end of the expression, then we pop all the operators in the stack 10 2 + 8 3 +

Transform Infix to Postfix

Ex: 10 + 2 - 8 + 3 When we get an operator, we have to push it into the stack and pop it when we see the next operator. The reason is, we have to wait for the second operand of the operator

Transform Infix to Postfix

How to solve the problem when there are operators +, -, *, / ?

Transform Infix to Postfix

Observation 2: scan the infix expression from left to right, if we see higherpriority operator after lower-priority one, we know that the second operand of the lower-priority operator is an expression
Ex: a + b * c = a + ( b * c ) a b c * + That is, the expression b c * is the second operand of the operator +

Transform Infix to Postfix

So, we modify the algorithm to adapt the situation

Transform Infix to Postfix

Algorithm: maintain a stack and scan the postfix expression from left to right
When we get a number, output it When we get an operator O, pop the top element in the stack until there is no operator having higher priority then O and then push(O) into the stack When the expression is ended, pop all the operators remain in the stack

Transform Infix to Postfix

Ex: 10 + 2 * 8 - 3 We see the first number 10, output it

10

Transform Infix to Postfix

Ex: 10 + 2 * 8 - 3 We see the first operator +, push it into the stack

10 +

Transform Infix to Postfix

Ex: 10 + 2 * 8 - 3 We see the number 2, output it

10 2 +

Transform Infix to Postfix

Ex: 10 + 2 * 8 - 3 We see the operator *, since the top operator in the stack, +, has lower priority then *, push(*) * + 10 2

Transform Infix to Postfix

Ex: 10 + 2 * 8 - 3 We see the number 8, output it

* +

10 2 8

Transform Infix to Postfix

Ex: 10 + 2 * 8 - 3
We see the operator -, because its priority is lower then *, we pop. Also, because + is on the left of it, we pop +, too. Then we push(-)

10 2 8 * + -

Transform Infix to Postfix

Ex: 10 + 2 * 8 - 3 We see the number 3, output it

10 2 8 * + 3 -

Transform Infix to Postfix

Ex: 10 + 2 * 8 - 3 Because the expression is ended, we pop all the operators in the stack 10 2 8 * + 3 -