From: Matthew Smillie <M.B.Smillie@...>
Date: 2005-12-31T10:51:53+09:00
Subject: Re: Another Newb asks questions.


On Dec 31, 2005, at 1:02, Joseph Divelbiss wrote:

> Wilson Bilkovich wrote:
>>     if file.lineno % 2 == 1 then
>
> I hope youll forgive, but I seem to be at a loss for exactly what/how
> this is doing..?
>
> Any clarification?
>
> Yeah this is my first language, first project, first week; so label me
> silly.

% is the modulo operator.  It gives the remainder of integer division:
x / y = a (rem b)
y * a + b = x

Concrete example:
17 / 3 = 5 (rem 2)
5 * 3 + 2 = 17

Modulo returns 0 if the numerator is evenly divisible by the  
denominator, so modulo 2 is a good way to check if a number is even.

m.s.