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Division algorithm in Wolfram Alpha

Posted 2 years ago

About 4 years ago WolframAlpha was using Euclidean division algorithm. The result of dividing -11 by 5 was the quotient equals -3 and the remainder equals 4. Which was absolutely correct according to Euclidean definition.
Nowadays, the result is -2 and -1 respectively. Which is correct in the Modulo world, but not in the Euclidean one. The remainder, according to a vast majority of sources, is 0 ≤ r < |b|, so it simply can't be negative. On top of it, the remainder is what is left after we found smallest multiple of the divisor, right? The smallest multiple of 5 in respect to -11 is -15, because -10 is actually greater than -11. Why was it changed to yield an incorrect result?

POSTED BY: Nour o'Scotia
3 Replies
Posted 2 years ago

I see. Thanks for the clarification. When I click "Step-by-step solution" I read

To compute -11 / 5 compute 11 / 5 and replace the negative sign at the end.

So, this seems less about using a different variant of Euclidean division and more about re-envisioning the entire explanation. I don't have the pro version, so I can't see the rest of the explanation. I don't see anything on the page that refers explicitly to Euclidean division, so I don't think you can fault the information provided, but I can understand being frustrated with it changing.

POSTED BY: Eric Rimbey
Posted 2 years ago
POSTED BY: Nour o'Scotia
Posted 2 years ago
POSTED BY: Eric Rimbey
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