The % operator returns the ___

the % operator returns the ___.

LectureNotes said the % operator returns the ___.

Answer:
In programming, the % operator, also known as the modulus or remainder operator, returns the remainder of a division operation. It finds the remainder after division of one number by another.

To elaborate:

  1. Definition:

    • The % operator divides one operand (the dividend) by another (the divisor) and returns the remainder.
  2. Example Calculation:

    • Consider the expression a % b. The % operator will divide a by b and return the remainder of this division.

    • For instance, 10 % 3 would return 1 because when 10 is divided by 3, it goes 3 times (3 * 3 = 9) with a remainder of 1.

      10 \div 3 = 3 \quad \text{remainder} \quad 1 \implies 10 \% 3 = 1
  3. Programming Context:

    • In many programming languages such as Python, Java, C++, and JavaScript, the % operator performs the same function. Here is an example in Python:
      a = 10
      b = 3
      result = a % b  # result will be 1
      

Final Answer:
The % operator returns the remainder of a division operation.