The behavior of integer division depends on the programming language. Generally, when an integer is divided by an integer using the standard division operator:
- In many languages (such as C, C++), integer division truncates the result towards zero and the result is still an integer (not a float). The fractional part is discarded.
- In Python 3, the division operator
/always returns a float even if both operands are integers. For example,5 / 2results in2.5(a float). To perform integer division in Python, you use the floor division operator//, which returns an integer result by rounding down (floor). - Some other languages distinguish between integer division (which returns an integer by truncating the fractional part) and floating-point division (which returns a float).
- The reason for integer division returning an integer in many languages is due to design choice and CPU instruction specifics, while Python chose to make division always return a float for clearer semantics.
Hence, the statement "when an integer is divided by an integer, the result will be a float" is not always true ; it depends on the language. For example, in Python 3 it is true, but in C and many other languages, integer division yields an integer. Summary comparing behaviors:
Language/Context| Integer / Integer Result Type| Notes
---|---|---
C, C++, Java (standard)| Integer| Truncates fractional part; result is int
Python 3| Float| / returns float, // returns floor integer
Some other languages| Varies| May have different behaviors or distinct
operators
Thus, the behavior is language-dependent, and in many common programming languages, integer division does not produce a float by default but an integer by truncation.