This PCEP practice question tests your understanding of data types, variables, basic i/o and operators. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Which TWO operators in Python yield an integer result when applied to two integers?
//
Floor division always returns an integer for ints.
**
Why wrong: Exponentiation can return a float if negative exponent.
%
Modulo with ints returns an integer remainder.
*
Why wrong: Multiplication returns int if both ints, but that would make too many correct; we need exactly two.
/
Why wrong: Normal division always returns a float.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
//
The floor division operator (//) always returns an integer result when both operands are integers, discarding any fractional part. For example, 7 // 2 yields 3, not 3.5. This is because floor division performs integer division and truncates toward negative infinity, ensuring the result type is int when both inputs are int.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
//
Why this is correct
Floor division always returns an integer for ints.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
**
Why it's wrong here
Exponentiation can return a float if negative exponent.
%
Why this is correct
Modulo with ints returns an integer remainder.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
*
Why it's wrong here
Multiplication returns int if both ints, but that would make too many correct; we need exactly two.
/
Why it's wrong here
Normal division always returns a float.
Common exam traps
Python Institute often tests the distinction between / (always returns float) and // (returns int for int operands), and the trap here is that candidates mistakenly think the modulo operator (%) returns a float, but it actually returns an integer when both operands are integers, and they may also incorrectly believe that multiplication (*) always returns an integer (which it does, but the exam deliberately omits it from the correct answers to test knowledge of // and % specifically).
Detailed technical explanation
In Python, the // operator implements floor division, which rounds down to the nearest integer (toward negative infinity), while the % operator returns the remainder of floor division, satisfying the identity: (a // b) * b + (a % b) == a. This behavior differs from C's integer division, which truncates toward zero. A real-world scenario is when you need to split items into groups and track leftovers, such as distributing 10 items among 3 people: 10 // 3 gives 3 items each, and 10 % 3 gives 1 leftover.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the PCEP exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
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FAQ
Data Types, Variables, Basic I/O and Operators — This question tests Data Types, Variables, Basic I/O and Operators — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: // — The floor division operator (//) always returns an integer result when both operands are integers, discarding any fractional part. For example, 7 // 2 yields 3, not 3.5. This is because floor division performs integer division and truncates toward negative infinity, ensuring the result type is int when both inputs are int.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
This PCEP practice question is part of Courseiva's free Python Institute certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the PCEP exam.
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