---
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
    - Date **date** - The starting date.

    - int **value** - The value to add or subtract from the given date.

    - string **field** - The units of the value.

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

## 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 Snippe"t
dateArithmetic({Root Container.DatePicker.date}, -8, "days") //returns a date eight days before the date in a Popup Calendar component.
```