Which operation does // perform in Python?

Which operation does // perform in Python?

• A. Returns the float result of division
• B. Rounds up the result of division
• C. Returns the integer result of division, rounding down
• D. Returns the decimal remainder of division

Answer: (C)

The operation `//` in Python is known as floor division. It takes two numbers and divides them, returning the largest whole number that is less than or equal to the actual division result. This means that it effectively rounds down any fractional part of the quotient to produce an integer result. For instance, if you were to divide `5` by `2`, the result is `2.5`. However, using floor division, `5 // 2` would yield `2`, as it rounds down to the nearest whole number. This feature is particularly useful in various programming scenarios where only complete units (like whole parts of groups, items, etc.) are relevant, such as iterating through collections, working with indices, or calculating how many complete items you can fill into a limited capacity. Thus, the operation `//` is specifically designed to ensure that you always get an integer result without rounding up.

The operation // in Python is known as floor division. It takes two numbers and divides them, returning the largest whole number that is less than or equal to the actual division result. This means that it effectively rounds down any fractional part of the quotient to produce an integer result. For instance, if you were to divide 5 by 2, the result is 2.5. However, using floor division, 5 // 2 would yield 2, as it rounds down to the nearest whole number.

This feature is particularly useful in various programming scenarios where only complete units (like whole parts of groups, items, etc.) are relevant, such as iterating through collections, working with indices, or calculating how many complete items you can fill into a limited capacity. Thus, the operation // is specifically designed to ensure that you always get an integer result without rounding up.