Basic Quadratic formula calculator shell script trouble - linux

Question

This is my very first shell script for a Unix class, this is one of the scripts I hope to submit for my final. However there are a few kinks I cannot seem to clear up, it seems to be arithmetic operation errors, and I can't seem to figure it out. Please be kind! thank you so much for your time.
lightgreen=`echo -en "\e[92m"
echo What are the values of a, b \& c?
LIGHTRED=`echo -en "\e[101m"
echo a value:
read a
echo b value:
read b
echo c value:
read c
discrim=$(($b**2 - 4*$a*$c))
sqrtd=$((sqrt($discrim) | bc ))
echo test $sqrtd
echo ${lightgreen}The discriminant is:${discrim}
#xone=$((( -$b + sqrt$discrim) / (2 * $a) | bc ))
#xtwo=$((( -$b - sqrt$discrim) / (2 * $a) | bc ))
xone=$((echo (-1*$b + sqrt($discrim)) / (2*$a) | bc ))
xtwo=$((echo (-1*$b - sqrt($discrim)) / (2*$a) | bc ))
echo ${lightgreen}The discriminant is:${discrim}
#if [$discrim -lt 0 ]
# echo $LIGHTRED There are no real solutions.
#
#
#
echo The two solutions are $xone $xtwo
I have tried to mess with the syntax a good amount, I'm not sure if it's the parentheses that mess me up or the sqrt function, I have tried to incorporate | bc but to no avail. Any help is greatly appreciated! :)

Answer 1

Don't hesitate to call man bash, man bc manual pages.
Use https://www.shellcheck.net/ to check your shell scripts.
Shellcheck also exists on command line and in Visual Studio Code with extension.
#! /usr/bin/env bash
# The first line is very important to now the name of the interpreter
# Always close " , ' , or ` sequences with same character
# Do not use old `...` syntax, replaced by $(...)
# Here, use $'...', to assign value with \... sequences
lightgreen=$'\e[92m'
lightred=$'\e[101m'
normal=$'\e[0m'
# It's better to put phrase between "..." or '...'
echo "What are the values of a, b & c?"
# Use read -p option to specify prompt
# Use read -r option to not act backslash as an escape character
read -p "a value: " -r a
read -p "b value: " -r b
read -p "c value: " -r c
# With bash only, it's only possible to use integer values
# discrim=$(($b**2 - 4*$a*$c))
# use bc instead
discrim=$(bc -l <<<"$b^2 - 4*$a*$c")
# The syntax:
# bc <<<"..."
# is equivalent to:
# echo "..." | bc
# but without pipe (|)
# Close the color change with normal return
echo "${lightgreen}The discriminant is: ${discrim}${normal}"
if [[ "${discrim:0:1}" == "-" ]]; then
echo "${lightred}There are no real solutions${normal}"
# ... complex ...
else
sqrtd=$(bc -l <<<"sqrt($discrim)")
echo "sqrt($discrim)=$sqrtd"
xone=$(bc -l <<<"(-1*$b + $sqrtd) / (2*$a)")
xtwo=$(bc -l <<<"(-1*$b - $sqrtd) / (2*$a)")
echo "The two solutions are: $xone and $xtwo"
fi