Day 19 : Python Program to Find the Smallest Divisor of an Integer

 

def smallest_divisor(number):

    number = abs(number)  

    if number <= 1:

        return "Input must be greater than 1."

    for i in range(2, number + 1):

        if number % i == 0:  

            return i  

number = int(input("Enter an integer: "))

result = smallest_divisor(number)

print(f"The smallest divisor of {number} is {result}.")

Code Explanation:

1. Function Definition

def smallest_divisor(number):

def: Declares a new function.

smallest_divisor: The name of the function, which finds the smallest divisor of a given number.

number: Input parameter representing the number for which the smallest divisor is to be found.

2. Taking Absolute Value

    number = abs(number)

abs(number): Returns the absolute value of the number (i.e., removes the negative sign if the number is negative).

Example: If number = -10, abs(-10) becomes 10.

This ensures the function works correctly for negative inputs.

3. Handling Small Numbers

    if number <= 1:

        return "Input must be greater than 1."

if number <= 1:: Checks if the input is 1 or less.

The smallest divisor is only meaningful for numbers greater than 1.

return: Ends the function and returns the message "Input must be greater than 1.".

4. Iterating Through Possible Divisors

    for i in range(2, number + 1):

for i in range(2, number + 1):

Loops through potential divisors, starting from 2 (the smallest prime number) up to the number itself.

range(2, number + 1): Generates integers from 2 to number (inclusive).

5. Checking for Divisibility

        if number % i == 0:

if number % i == 0:: Checks if i is a divisor of number by testing if the remainder when dividing number by i is 0.

6. Returning the Smallest Divisor

            return i

return i: Returns the first i that divides the number evenly (i.e., the smallest divisor).

The loop stops as soon as the smallest divisor is found.

7. Taking User Input

number = int(input("Enter an integer: "))

input("Enter an integer: "): Prompts the user to enter a number.

int(): Converts the input from a string to an integer.

number: Stores the user-provided number.

8. Calling the Function and Displaying the Result

result = smallest_divisor(number)

print(f"The smallest divisor of {number} is {result}.")

smallest_divisor(number): Calls the function with the user-provided number and stores the result in result.

print(f"..."): Displays the smallest divisor or the error message in a user-friendly format using an f-string.

#source code --> clcoding.com