---
title: "dateArithmetic"
description: "Adds or subtracts some amount of time from a date, returning the resulting date."
---

# dateArithmetic

> Adds or subtracts some amount of time from a date, returning the resulting date.

**This function is used by Ignition's Expression language.**

## Description

Adds or subtracts some amount of time from a date, returning the resulting date. The field argument must be a string, and must be one of these options:

- ms
- second
- sec
- minute
- hour
- hr
- day
- week
- month
- year

## Syntax

`dateArithmetic(date, value, field)`

### Parameters

| Type    | Parameter | Description                                                                 |
|---------|-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Date    | `date`    | The starting date.                                                         |
| Integer | `value`   | The amount to add or subtract from the given date.                         |
| String  | `field`   | The units of the value.                                                    |

### Returns

**Date** - A new date that has been altered by the specified amount of time units.

## Examples

```python title="Code Snippet"
dateArithmetic(toDate("2010-01-04 8:00:00"), 5, "hour") //returns the date '2010-01-04 13:00:00'
```

```python title="Code Snippet"
dateArithmetic({Root Container.DatePicker.date}, -8, "days") //returns a date eight days before the date in a Popup Calendar component.
```