Subtract 2 array values having floating point decimals - bash

Question

I'm reading a file with multiple columns, and dumping 2 columns of the file into into 2 different arrays. Now based on a condition, I need to get the difference between 2 values retrieved from the array. So my code looks like this -
if [ condition ]; then
VAL = (( ${local[$x]} - ${local[$y]} ))
fi
The thing is, while I'm able to echo and see both values ${local[$x]} and ${local[$y]}, the subtraction operation gives me a syntax error. I understand it's failing because the values currently held within the array involve floating point decimal values - like 3456712.126758, and the assignment throws errors with the decimal part. I understand arithmetic operations are not a strong point with the bash shell as floating point numbers are considered strings hence the issue.
Could you please help getting the right format please?
Should I do something like this
VAL= awk '{ print ${local[$x]} - ${local[$y]} }'
or
VAL=echo ${local[$x]} - ${local[$y]} | bc -l
I'm sure the syntax above is wrong, kindly help with the syntax, I need it assigned the subtracted result assigned to the field VAL.

Answer 1

Not only floating points, but also the spacing would lead to syntax errors. Bash variable assignments must have no spaces, as in val=x, and not val = x.
Uppercase variable names are reserved for environment variables, and it is recommended to use lowercase instead for your own variables. (Oh, and local is also a reserved word.)
Your assignment wouldn't work with proper spacing, either: the arithmetic expression
var=(( ${vals[$x]} - ${vals[$y]} )) # syntax error near unexpected token `('
is just evaluating its contents, but not returning anything. You could use the part after the = as a condition. To make it return something, you need arithmetic expansion (note the extra $):
var=$(( ${vals[$x]} - ${vals[$y]} )) # works for integers
^
In an arithmetic context, you don't even need to prepend $ to your variables:
var=$(( vals[x] - vals[y] ))
works just as well. Exception: in associative arrays, you still have to do it for indices:
$(( vals[$x] ))
And finally, as you noticed, this all doesn't work for floating point numbers. Instead of piping to bc, you can also use a here string and avoid spawning a subshell:
$ vals=(1.1 2.2)
$ x=0
$ y=1
$ echo $(( local[x] - local[y] )) # No '$' needed for variable expansion
bash: 1.1: syntax error: invalid arithmetic operator (error token is ".1") # But :(
$ bc -l <<< "local[x] - local[y]" # Requires '$' - these expand to nothing
0
$ bc -l <<< "${local[x]} - ${local[y]}" # Works!
-1.1

Answer 2

With awk:
awk -v a=${a} -v b=${b} 'BEGIN{print a - b}'
With bc:
echo "${a} - ${b}" | bc -l
See also other options here.