Here are a few title options, playing with the question format: * **Why is -13 % 64 not 51 in Java?** (Simple and direct) * **Java Modulus Operator and Negative Numbers: How to Get the Expected Resu

Modulus Calculation with Negative Numbers in Java

In Java, the modulus operator (%) returns the remainder after dividing two numbers. However, when dealing with negative numbers, the result may not be as expected.

Issue:

A developer encounters an unexpected result when performing modulus calculations with negative numbers, specifically -13 % 64. Instead of the desired outcome of 51, the result is -13.

Explanation:

The definition of modulus for negative numbers varies across programming languages. In Java, the remainder returned by the modulus operator has the same sign as the dividend (numerator). Therefore, -13 % 64 evaluates to -13.

Solution:

To obtain the desired result of 51, the following correction can be applied:

<code class="java">int r = x % n;
if (r > 0 && x < 0) {
    r -= n;
}</code>

This code ensures that the remainder is positive when the dividend is negative.

Alternatively, if the language returns a negative remainder for negative inputs and the developer prefers a positive result, the following adjustment can be made:

<code class="java">int r = x % n;
if (r < 0) {
    r += n;
}</code>

This code converts the negative remainder to a positive value.

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