Quotient from integers in C

Question

I want to get the result of a division of two integers. For example the integers 6 and 25. If I divide the integers I get 6/25 = 0 as the answer. I want the result to be 6/25 = 0.24. How can I do it?

Don't use __float__, instead use __double__ which is the same as float, but can hold larger and more precise values. Space needed is not a concern on modern computers. — Marichyasana, Nov 08 '15 at 18:04

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Nov 08 '15 at 17:51

1

Convert the values to floating point first. For example

result = (double)a / (double)b.

answered Nov 08 '15 at 17:51

Hellmar Becker

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score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 08 '15 at 17:51

1

Cast any of them to a float

float result = a/(float)b;

answered Nov 08 '15 at 17:51

Mark E

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Thank you , this one worked ! :D – Flora Biletsiou Nov 08 '15 at 17:54
If this answers your question you should mark it as accepted answer, so if anyone comes with the same problem, can find easily the solution – Mark E Nov 08 '15 at 18:00
I suggest preferring `double` over `float`. If you're dividing a larg integer by a small one (such as 1), there's a good chance a `float` will give an inexact result. – Tom Karzes Nov 08 '15 at 18:06
@TomKarzes there's a good chance for that no matter what – harold Nov 08 '15 at 18:43
@harold if your doubles are 64-bit and your ints are 32-bit, then a double can hold any int exactly. And that's a very common situation (the computer I'm using right now is like that). But even if you're using a computer with 64-bit ints, you're still going to have fewer problems with `double`. I have never found a need to use `float`. – Tom Karzes Nov 08 '15 at 18:46
@TomKarzes yes, but that rarely saves you from a division (sometimes yes), for example take the very example the OP used: 6/25. Can't represent that with a float. Still can't represent that with a double, or indeed any size of binary floating point number. – harold Nov 08 '15 at 18:57
@harold Right, I was just walking about the case where the result is an exact integer. – Tom Karzes Nov 08 '15 at 19:04

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Nov 08 '15 at 17:54

0

You can multiply the numerator by 1.0 if you want to avoid casting.

printf("%f\n", a * 1.0 / b);

answered Nov 08 '15 at 17:54

rohit89

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score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 08 '15 at 17:56

0

It is as simple as

#include <stdio.h>

int main(int argc, char** argv)
{
    printf("%.2f\n",(float)6/25);
}

answered Nov 08 '15 at 17:56

machine_1

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The `./` "operator" as in `6./25` also would do the job. :-) No casting necessary. – alk Nov 08 '15 at 18:22

Quotient from integers in C

4 Answers4