The % operator

[deeps sinha]

hi,
I understand that the % operator gives the remainder but I am not able to understand the result of a (smaller number % bigger number) for eg. 3%6 = 3. please help.

Thanks

[Eshwin Sukhdeve]

% indicates the remander if you say 3%6..then just divide 3 with 6 ..so the remender will be 3 only

[Panagiotis Kalogeropoulos]

Every natural number y (eg 0,1,2,3....) can be described as:
y = a*x + b

In our case we can see that y = 3 and x = 6, so
3 = a*6 + b

When you use the % operator, it will give you the b variable of the above equation. And keeping in mind that we deal only with natural numbers, the result will be:
3 = 0*6 + 3

thus the result equals 3.

I hope this makes things a little more clear for you.

[deeps sinha]

Hi Eshwin,
Thanks for helping me. so 3/6 = 6X0+3 so answer is 3.
3/8 = 3x2+2 so answer is 2

am I right?

[deeps sinha]

sorry 3/8 = 8x0+3 answer is 3 right?

[deeps sinha]

Thanks Panagiotis I now understand this.

[Anayonkar Shivalkar]

Correct

[Panagiotis Kalogeropoulos]

No problem...

[Campbell Ritchie]

Panagiotis Kalogeropoulos wrote:Every natural number y (eg 0,1,2,3....) . . .

Surely that applies to every number, even members of ℝ, so Java™ can use the % operator on floating-point numbers, too.

[Rumesh Eranga]

you got your answer from many people right??

[deeps sinha]

Thanks Everybody !!!