[Tutor] Basic terminology

[Bill Mill]

A remainder is what's left over after a division:

10/3 = 3 remainder 1
12/5 = 2 remainder 2
27/3 = 9 remainder 0

and the modulus operator (which is % in python) gives you that remainder:

10%3 = 1
12%5 = 2
27%3 = 0

See http://mathworld.wolfram.com/Remainder.html and
http://mathworld.wolfram.com/Modulus.html for more formal
explanations. In particular, it explains some deeper meanings of the
word "modulus". Once you get into group theory, it can start to mean
some related but different things.

Peace
Bill Mill
bill.mill at gmail.com


On Tue, 15 Feb 2005 16:16:44 -0500, python at bernardlebel.com
<python at bernardlebel.com> wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I'm reading a Python book right now (Learning Python, a great book!), and there
> are few terms that come are brought up a few times but without any explanation.
> 
> So what are:
> - "remainders" (in the context of remainders-of-division modulus for numbers)
> - "modulus" (in the same context; I have also seen it in different context, like
> 3D graphics programs to perform certain types of calculations).
> 
> Thanks
> Bernard
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