00:00

Help Us Improve

We're sorry this tutorial wasn't helpful. Please tell us what we can do better.

Java Program to Find the Quotient and Remainder

Last updated:

When you divide one whole number (the dividend) by another (the divisor), you get a quotient and a remainder. For 40 ÷ 6, the quotient is 6 and the remainder is 4, because 6 × 6 + 4 = 40.

In Java, with int values:

  • dividend / divisor gives the quotient (the decimal part is dropped),
  • dividend % divisor gives the remainder.

1. Find the Quotient and Remainder

QuotientRemainder.java 
public class QuotientRemainder {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        int dividend = 40;
        int divisor = 6;

        int quotient = dividend / divisor;
        int remainder = dividend % divisor;

        System.out.println("Dividend: " + dividend + ", Divisor: " + divisor);
        System.out.println("Quotient: " + quotient);
        System.out.println("Remainder: " + remainder);
        System.out.println("Check: " + divisor + " x " + quotient + " + " + remainder + " = " + (divisor * quotient + remainder));
    }
}
Output
Dividend: 40, Divisor: 6
Quotient: 6
Remainder: 4
Check: 6 x 6 + 4 = 40

2. Quotient and Remainder with User Input

QuotientRemainderInput.java 
import java.util.Scanner;

public class QuotientRemainderInput {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Scanner scanner = new Scanner(System.in);
        System.out.print("Enter the dividend: ");
        int dividend = scanner.nextInt();
        System.out.print("Enter the divisor: ");
        int divisor = scanner.nextInt();
        scanner.close();

        if (divisor == 0) {
            System.out.println("Cannot divide by zero.");
            return;
        }

        System.out.println("Quotient = " + (dividend / divisor));
        System.out.println("Remainder = " + (dividend % divisor));
    }
}
Output 1
Enter the dividend: 31
Enter the divisor: 6
Quotient = 5
Remainder = 1
Output 2
Enter the dividend: 31
Enter the divisor: 0
Cannot divide by zero.

3. Quotient and Remainder with Negative Numbers

In Java, integer division rounds toward zero, and the remainder always has the same sign as the dividend. Math.floorDiv() and Math.floorMod() round down instead, which is useful when you always want a non-negative remainder for a positive divisor.

NegativeDivision.java 
public class NegativeDivision {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.println(" 17 / 5 = " + (17 / 5) + ",  17 % 5 = " + (17 % 5));
        System.out.println("-17 / 5 = " + (-17 / 5) + ", -17 % 5 = " + (-17 % 5));
        System.out.println("floorDiv(-17, 5) = " + Math.floorDiv(-17, 5)
                + ", floorMod(-17, 5) = " + Math.floorMod(-17, 5));
    }
}
Output
 17 / 5 = 3,  17 % 5 = 2
-17 / 5 = -3, -17 % 5 = -2
floorDiv(-17, 5) = -4, floorMod(-17, 5) = 3

4. Division by Zero Throws ArithmeticException

Dividing an int by zero is an error: Java throws an ArithmeticException and, if it is not caught, stops the program. Check the divisor before dividing, as in the user input example above.

DivideByZero.java 
public class DivideByZero {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        int dividend = 25;
        int divisor = 0;

        System.out.println("Quotient: " + (dividend / divisor));
    }
}
Output
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.ArithmeticException: / by zero
	at DivideByZero.main(DivideByZero.java:6)

With double values there is no exception: 25.0 / 0 gives Infinity.

5. Summary

  • / on integers gives the quotient and % gives the remainder.
  • The results always satisfy divisor * quotient + remainder == dividend.
  • With negative numbers, the remainder takes the sign of the dividend; Math.floorMod() gives a non-negative one.
  • Integer division by zero throws ArithmeticException, so check the divisor first.

Related Programs