Division Operators in Python

• Difficulty Level : Easy
• Last Updated : 31 May, 2021

Consider the below statements in Python.
 

• Python3

# A Python program to demonstrate the use of

# "//" for integers

print (5//2)

print (-5//2)

Output:

2-3

The first output is fine, but the second one may be surprised if we are coming Java/C++ world. In Python, the “//” operator works as a floor division for integer and float arguments. However, the operator / returns a float value if one of the arguments is a float (this is similar to C++)

Note:

The “//” operator is used to return the closest integer value which is less than or equal to a specified expression or value. So from the above code, 5//2 returns 2. You know that 5/2 is 2.5, the closest integer which is less than or equal is 2[5//2].( it is inverse to the normal maths, in normal maths the value is 3).
 

• Python3

# A Python program to demonstrate use of

# "/" for floating point numbers

print (5.0/2)

print (-5.0/2)

Output:

2.5-2.5

The real floor division operator is “//”. It returns floor value for both integer and floating point arguments. 

• Python3

# A Python program to demonstrate use of

# "//" for both integers and floating points

print (5//2)

print (-5//2)

print (5.0//2)

print (-5.0//2)

Output:

2-32.0-3.0