Evaluate expression as float in Python

Question

I want to write a function which inputs two variables a, b and which returns a/b as a float irrespective of the types of a and b. Right now I'm doing this as:

def f(a, b):
    return float(a)/float(b)

Is there a better way to do this?

Answer 1

Assuming you are using Python2, put this at the top of the file

from __future__ import division

now / will always give a float. Use // for the old behaviour.

If you are using Python3, then this is already the default behaviour of /