> The modulus is not the result but one of the arguments: when numbers x > and y are congruent modulo n (stated in terms of the modulo operation: > x mod n = y mod n), the modulus is n. A word for x mod n is remainder. > > I agree about the obscurity of using the percent sign as the operator. > > A quick google suggests that your use of 'modulus' is now popular > among programmers. Past experience in mathematics newsgroups tells me > that some mathematicians do not accept the existence of any remainder > operator at all. Honest. (I see them but I cannot understand them.)
You are correct; the thing it computes is the remainder, not the modulus. Nonetheless, 'x modulus y' is how it is put in natural language, but I suppose math.remainder would be my preferred place to put this. -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
