[Python-Dev] Integer division operator can give float result? (original) (raw)

Facundo Batista facundo at taniquetil.com.ar
Wed Feb 28 13:22:36 CET 2007


Greg Ewing wrote:

Is this intentional? I would have expected the // operator to always give an integer result.

Python 2.3 (#1, Aug 5 2003, 15:52:30) [GCC 3.1 20020420 (prerelease)] on darwin Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information. >>> 7.0 // 2 3.0

From the Language Reference:

The / (division) and // (floor division) operators yield the quotient of their arguments. The numeric arguments are first converted to a common type. Plain or long integer division yields an integer of the same type; the result is that of mathematical division with the `floor' function applied to the result.

So, first the arguments are converted to a common type, in this case float. Then the division is made. Then the 'floor' function is applied. Result: 3.0.

So yes, it's intentional.

Regards,

-- . Facundo . Blog: http://www.taniquetil.com.ar/plog/ PyAr: http://www.python.org/ar/



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