'if x % 2: return True' , wouldn't that return True if the number was divisible by 2?

Question

I don't understand how if not x % 2: return True works. Wouldn't that mean this if x is not divisible by two, return True? That's what i see in this code.

I see it as if not x % 2: return True would return the opposite of if a number is divisible by 2, return True.

I just don't understand how that part of the syntax works.

def is_even(x):
    if not x % 2:
        return True
    else:
        return False

Answer 1

Wouldn't that mean this if x is not divisible by two, return True?

No, because when x is not divisible by 2 the result of x%2 would be a nonzero value, which will be evaluated as True by Python, so its not would be False.

Read more about Truth value testing in python.

Answer 2

The modulo operator % returns the remainder of a division. If x is divisible by 2 ('even'), then the remainder is zero and x % 2 thus evaluates to zero (=False), which makes the whole expression True.