Dan's Test Q on %

[AJ Brown]

Can someone please explain the % part of this answer? I know that, for example, 20 % 3 would be 2 but do not understand how 2 % 3 is 2.


http://www.danchisholm.net/dec20/topic/section5/operators1.html



Question 10
class EBH002 {
static int m(int i) {
System.out.print(i + ", ");
return i;
}
public static void main(String s[]) {
m(m(1) + m(2) % m(3) * m(4));
}}


What is the result of attempting to compile and run the program?

a. Prints: 1, 2, 3, 4, 0,
b. Prints: 1, 2, 3, 4, 3,
c. Prints: 1, 2, 3, 4, 9,
d. Prints: 1, 2, 3, 4, 12,
e. Prints: 2, 3, 4, 1, 9,
f. Prints: 2, 3, 4, 1, 3,
g. Run-time error
h. Compile-time error
i. None of the above



The expression can be simplified as follows: 1 + 2 % 3 * 4 = 9. The original expression is as follows: m(m(1) + m(2) % m(3) * m(4)). Simplification step one. Evaluate each operand from left to right: m(1 + 2 % 3 * 4). Step two. Add parentheses to indicate operator precedence and associativity: m(1 + ((2 % 3) * 4). Step three. Evaluate the inner-most parentheses: m(1 + (2 * 4)). Step four. Evaluate the inner-most parentheses: m(1 + 8). The result is 9.

[Ana Abrantes]

If you do an integral division 2 / 3 is 0, isn't ?
So, the rest is 2.

That's your answer: 2%3=2.

[AJ Brown]

I don't understand how you get to your answer. Where does the 2 come from if it's 0?

Thanks for the quick reply.

[iyven koh]

2%3 is interpreted as 2 mod 3, that means
2 div 3 = 0
but the mod value is 2 as 2 - 0 = 2

another example,
10 % 3 = 1

when 10 div 3 = 3
the mod value is 1 since 10 - (3*3) = 1

[Anil Hulikal]

I think it would be good idea to remember "%" operator as a "remainder" operator, as specified in the JLS - 15.17.3. What is the remainder if you were to divide 2 by 3?

3)2(0
0
----
2 <- R
----

From JLS

15.17.3 Remainder Operator %
The binary % operator is said to yield the remainder of its operands from an implied division; the left-hand operand is the dividend and the right-hand operand is the divisor.
|
|
|
Examples:
5%3 produces 2(note that 5/3 produces 1)
5%(-3) produces 2(note that 5/(-3) produces -1)
(-5)%3 produces -2(note that (-5)/3 produces -1)
(-5)%(-3) produces -2(note that (-5)/(-3) produces 1)

5.0%3.0 produces 2.0
5.0%(-3.0) produces 2.0
(-5.0)%3.0 produces -2.0
(-5.0)%(-3.0) produces -2.0

Please read the above section for more details.

Regards,
Anil