Question

I’m trying to convert some JavaScript code into Java, but I do not know what the % character between two numeric variables does:

    testvalue = somevalue%anothervalue;

What does this mean or what would the same statement be in Java?

I also have this in JavaScript:

    if(somevalue%2 == 1){
    }

What does %2 mean here?

Answer 1

It’s the modulus operator.

This returns “the first operand modulo the second operand”, which is the remainder when you substract (or add) as much of the second operand off/to of the first, to get as close as possible to 0.

Here’s an example:

 5  % 2 ==  1  ( 5  = 2*2   +1)
 6  % 2 ==  0  ( 6  = 2*3   +0)
 12 % 5 ==  2  ( 12 = 5*2   +2)
-5  % 2 == -1  (-5  = 2*-2  -1)
-6  % 2 ==  0  (-6  = 2*-3  -0)
-12 % 5 == -2  (-12 = 5*-2  -2)
//                           ^ That's the result of the modulo.