Python divmod() Function

The divmod() function performs division and remainder calculation at the same time. It returns a tuple containing the quotient and remainder.

Syntax

divmod(dividend, divisor)

dividend → The number being divided
divisor → The number you divide by

Basic Example

result = divmod(10, 3)

print(result)

Output:

(3, 1)

This means:

10 ÷ 3

Quotient  = 3
Remainder = 1

Understanding `divmod()`

The following:

divmod(17, 5)

returns:

(3, 2)

Because:

17 = (5 × 3) + 2

So:

Quotient  → 3
Remainder → 2

`divmod()` vs `/`

The / operator returns the division result as a floating-point number.

print(10 / 3)

Output:

3.3333333333333335

divmod() gives both quotient and remainder:

print(divmod(10, 3))

Output:

(3, 1)

`divmod()` vs `//` and `%`

You can achieve the same result using // and %.

number = 17 divisor = 5

quotient = number // divisor remainder = number % divisor

print(quotient)
print(remainder)

Output:

3
2

With divmod():

number = 17 divisor = 5

quotient, remainder = divmod(
    number,
    divisor
)

print(quotient)
print(remainder)

Output:

3
2

So:

divmod(a, b)

is essentially:

(a // b, a % b)

Store the Result in a Variable

result = divmod(25, 4)

print(result)

Output:

(6, 1)

The result is a tuple.

print(type(result))

Output:

<class 'tuple'>

Unpacking `divmod()`

You can directly unpack the returned tuple.

quotient, remainder = divmod(25, 4)

print("Quotient:", quotient)
print("Remainder:", remainder)

Output:

Quotient: 6
Remainder: 1

This is one of the most common ways to use divmod().

Get Only the Quotient

quotient, _ = divmod(25, 4)

print(quotient)

Output:

The _ indicates that the remainder is not needed.

Get Only the Remainder

_, remainder = divmod(25, 4)

print(remainder)

Output:

Using `divmod()` with Variables

total = 100 divisor = 7

quotient, remainder = divmod(
    total,
    divisor
)

print("Quotient:", quotient)
print("Remainder:", remainder)

Output:

Quotient: 14
Remainder: 2

Dividing Items into Groups

Suppose you have 25 students and each group contains 4 students.

students = 25 group_size = 4

groups, remaining = divmod(
    students,
    group_size
)

print("Groups:", groups)
print("Remaining:", remaining)

Output:

Groups: 6
Remaining: 1

So there are:

6 complete groups
1 student remaining

Practical Example : Chocolates

Suppose you have 53 chocolates and want to distribute 8 chocolates to each student.

chocolates = 53 per_student = 8

students, remaining = divmod(
    chocolates,
    per_student
)

print("Students:", students)
print("Remaining:", remaining)

Output:

Students: 6
Remaining: 5

Practical Example : Money Distribution

Suppose you have Rs. 10,000 and want to distribute it equally among 6 people.

money = 10000 people = 6

amount, remaining = divmod(
    money,
    people
)

print("Each person:", amount)
print("Remaining:", remaining)

Output:

Each person: 1666
Remaining: 4

Practical Example : Convert Seconds to Minutes

divmod() is very useful for converting units.

Suppose we have 367 seconds.

seconds = 367

minutes, remaining_seconds = divmod(
    seconds,
    60
)

print("Minutes:", minutes)
print("Seconds:", remaining_seconds)

Output:

Minutes: 6
Seconds: 7

Therefore:

367 seconds = 6 minutes 7 seconds

Convert Seconds to Hours, Minutes and Seconds

total_seconds = 7384

hours, remaining = divmod(
    total_seconds,
    3600
)

minutes, seconds = divmod(
    remaining,
    60
)

print("Hours:", hours)
print("Minutes:", minutes)
print("Seconds:", seconds)

Output:

Hours: 2
Minutes: 3
Seconds: 4

Therefore:

7384 seconds = 2 hours 3 minutes 4 seconds

Practical Example : Convert Minutes to Hours

total_minutes = 185

hours, minutes = divmod(
    total_minutes,
    60
)

print("Hours:", hours)
print("Minutes:", minutes)

Output:

Hours: 3
Minutes: 5

Practical Example : Convert Days to Weeks

days = 45

weeks, remaining_days = divmod(
    days,
    7
)

print("Weeks:", weeks)
print("Days:", remaining_days)

Output:

Weeks: 6
Days: 3

Practical Example : Convert Months into Years

For a simple calculation using 12 months per year:

months = 29

years, remaining_months = divmod(
    months,
    12
)

print("Years:", years)
print("Months:", remaining_months)

Output:

Years: 2
Months: 5

`divmod()` with a Loop

You can use divmod() inside a loop.

numbers = [10, 15, 22, 30]

for number in numbers:
    quotient, remainder = divmod(
        number,
        3
    )

    print(
        number,
        "→",
        quotient,
        remainder
    )

Output:

`divmod()` with List Comprehension

numbers = [10, 15, 20, 25]

results = [
    divmod(number, 5)
    for number in numbers
]

print(results)

Output:

[(2, 0), (3, 0), (4, 0), (5, 0)]

`divmod()` with `map()`

Since you already learned map(), you can combine it with divmod().

numbers = [10, 15, 22, 30]

results = map(
    lambda x: divmod(x, 3),
    numbers
)

print(list(results))

Output:

[(3, 1), (5, 0), (7, 1), (10, 0)]

`divmod()` with `filter()`

You can use filter() to select numbers with a particular remainder.

For example, numbers that leave remainder 0 when divided by 3:

numbers = [10, 12, 15, 17, 18, 20]

result = filter(
    lambda x: divmod(x, 3)[1] == 0,
    numbers
)

print(list(result))

Output:

[12, 15, 18]

These numbers are divisible by 3.

Check Whether a Number Is Even

You can use the remainder returned by divmod().

number = 24

quotient, remainder = divmod(
    number,
    2
)

if remainder == 0:
    print("Even")
else:
    print("Odd")

Output:

Even

Check Whether a Number Is Odd

number = 17

_, remainder = divmod(
    number,
    2
)

if remainder != 0:
    print("Odd")
else:
    print("Even")

Output:

Odd

Practical Example : Pagination

divmod() can be useful when calculating pages.

Suppose there are 53 records and each page contains 10 records.

records = 53 per_page = 10

full_pages, remaining = divmod(
    records,
    per_page
)

pages = full_pages

if remaining:
    pages += 1

print("Total Pages:", pages)

Output:

Total Pages: 6

There are:

5 complete pages
3 records on the final page

Practical Example : Packing Products

Suppose a warehouse has 127 products and each box can hold 12.

products = 127 per_box = 12

boxes, remaining = divmod(
    products,
    per_box
)

print("Complete Boxes:", boxes)
print("Remaining Products:", remaining)

Output:

Complete Boxes: 10
Remaining Products: 7

Practical Example : Exam Seating

Suppose there are 125 students and each classroom can accommodate 30.

students = 125 capacity = 30

classrooms, remaining = divmod(
    students,
    capacity
)

if remaining:
    classrooms += 1

print("Classrooms Required:", classrooms)

Output:

Classrooms Required: 5

Negative Numbers

divmod() also works with negative numbers, but the result follows Python's floor division rules.

print(divmod(-10, 3))

Output:

(-4, 2)

Because:

-10 = (3 × -4) + 2

For beginners, the most important thing is to remember that divmod() follows the same rules as // and %.

Decimal Numbers

divmod() can also work with floating-point numbers.

result = divmod(10.5, 3)

print(result)

Output:

(3.0, 1.5)

The values are:

Quotient  → 3.0
Remainder → 1.5

Important: Divisor Cannot Be Zero

This will produce an error:

result = divmod(10, 0)

Python raises:

ZeroDivisionError

Always make sure the divisor is not zero.

`divmod()` vs `%`

Use % when you only need the remainder:

remainder = 17 % 5

print(remainder)

Output:

Use divmod() when you need both:

quotient, remainder = divmod(17, 5)

print(quotient)
print(remainder)

Output:

3
2

`divmod()` vs `//`

Use // when you only need the quotient:

quotient = 17 // 5

print(quotient)

Output:

Use divmod() when you need both quotient and remainder:

quotient, remainder = divmod(17, 5)

Important Points to Remember

Basic syntax

divmod(a, b)

Returns a tuple

result = divmod(17, 5)

print(result)

(3, 2)

Unpacking

quotient, remainder = divmod(17, 5)

Equivalent operation

divmod(a, b)

is equivalent to:

(a // b, a % b)

Quotient only

quotient, _ = divmod(17, 5)

Remainder only

_, remainder = divmod(17, 5)

Easy way to remember

/       → Normal division
//      → Quotient
%       → Remainder
divmod  → Quotient + Remainder

Syntax

Basic Example

Understanding divmod()

divmod() vs /

divmod() vs // and %

Store the Result in a Variable

Unpacking divmod()

Get Only the Quotient

Get Only the Remainder

Using divmod() with Variables

Dividing Items into Groups

Practical Example : Chocolates

Practical Example : Money Distribution

Practical Example : Convert Seconds to Minutes

Convert Seconds to Hours, Minutes and Seconds

Practical Example : Convert Minutes to Hours

Practical Example : Convert Days to Weeks

Practical Example : Convert Months into Years

divmod() with a Loop

divmod() with List Comprehension

divmod() with map()

divmod() with filter()

Check Whether a Number Is Even

Check Whether a Number Is Odd

Practical Example : Pagination

Practical Example : Packing Products

Practical Example : Exam Seating

Negative Numbers

Decimal Numbers

Important: Divisor Cannot Be Zero

divmod() vs %

divmod() vs //

Important Points to Remember

Basic syntax

Returns a tuple

Unpacking

Equivalent operation

Quotient only

Remainder only

Easy way to remember

SkillMantra

Understanding `divmod()`

`divmod()` vs `/`

`divmod()` vs `//` and `%`

Unpacking `divmod()`

Using `divmod()` with Variables

`divmod()` with a Loop

`divmod()` with List Comprehension

`divmod()` with `map()`

`divmod()` with `filter()`

`divmod()` vs `%`

`divmod()` vs `//`