"collect2: ld returned 1 exit status" error when compiling C with GCC

For some reason, I see the following when I try to compile any C code involving the math.h header file, e.g.

rasputin@rasputin-laptop:~/Documents/euler/c$ gcc p012.c
/tmp/ccaN3FGJ.o: In function `main':
p012.c:(.text+0xa7): undefined reference to `sqrt'
collect2: ld returned 1 exit status

This happens with any function in math.h, and yes, I have written

#include <math.h>

math.h exists in /usr/share, and the other header files I've used (stdlib, stdio, string) are in there as well.

I can compile it by adding the -lm argument to link the math library, but I dislike having to do that.

I tried removing and reinstalling build-essentials, didn't help.

I've googled this for a while, all the solutions I found were simply adding the -lm tag, or using g++ (which, by the way, does not need the -lm argument).

If anyone could point me in the right direction, I'd appreciate it.

i thought it was #include <cmath> in c++

coleslow said: i thought it was #include <cmath> in c++

I gather from the OP's query that it's a C program, otherwise it would probably be a .cpp file and the g++ compiler.....