Arguments and Values

Description

The function / performs division or reciprocation.

If no denominators are supplied, the function / returns the reciprocal of number.

If at least one denominator is supplied, the function / divides the numerator by all of the denominators and returns the resulting quotient.

If each argument is either an integer or a ratio, and the result is not an integer, then it is a ratio.

The function / performs necessary type conversions.

If any argument is a float then the rules of floating-point contagion apply; see Floating-point Computations.

Examples

 (/ 12 4) ⇒  3
 (/ 13 4) ⇒  13/4
 (/ -8) ⇒  -1/8
 (/ 3 4 5) ⇒  3/20
 (/ 0.5) ⇒  2.0
 (/ 20 5) ⇒  4
 (/ 5 20) ⇒  1/4
 (/ 60 -2 3 5.0) ⇒  -2.0
 (/ 2 #c(2 2)) ⇒  #C(1/2 -1/2)

Exceptional Situations

The consequences are unspecified if any argument other than the first is zero. If there is only one argument, the consequences are unspecified if it is zero.

Might signal type-error if some argument is not a number. Might signal division-by-zero if division by zero is attempted. Might signal arithmetic-error.

See Also

Backlinks