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PHP fdiv() Function: Usage and Examples

Learn how PHP fdiv works with practical examples, important behavior, relevant alternatives and common mistakes.

1 views Published Oct 16, 2026 Updated Oct 16, 2026

Divides floating-point numbers using IEEE 754 rules instead of throwing for zero divisors.

What Is fdiv() in PHP?

Divides floating-point numbers using IEEE 754 rules instead of throwing for zero divisors.

Its syntax is:

fdiv(float $num1, float $num2): float

Parameters:

  • $num1 — Accepted as float; required argument.
  • $num2 — Accepted as float; required argument.

Return type: float. Dividing by zero returns INF, -INF or NAN; validate results before persisting calculations.

Availability: Available in PHP 8.0+.

Example 1: Basic Usage

<?php

var_dump(fdiv(10, 2));

Output:

float(5)

Dividing by zero returns INF, -INF or NAN; validate results before persisting calculations.

Example 2: A Different Input

<?php

var_dump(is_infinite(fdiv(1, 0)));

Output:

bool(true)

Dividing by zero returns INF, -INF or NAN; validate results before persisting calculations.

Practical Example: Applying It in a Program

<?php

$ratios = [[10, 2], [1, 0], [0, 0]]; foreach ($ratios as [$numerator, $denominator]) { $result = fdiv($numerator, $denominator); echo is_nan($result) ? "NaN" : (is_infinite($result) ? "Infinite" : (string) $result); echo PHP_EOL; }

Output:

5
Infinite
NaN

Dividing by zero returns INF, -INF or NAN; validate results before persisting calculations.

Important Behavior and Edge Cases

  • Key behavior: Dividing by zero returns INF, -INF or NAN; validate results before persisting calculations.
  • Environment: Available in PHP 8.0+.

Comparison With Related Functions

FunctionPurpose
fdiv()Divides floating-point numbers using IEEE 754 rules instead of throwing for zero divisors.
/ operatorThe / operator raises DivisionByZeroError when dividing by zero; fdiv() returns INF, -INF or NAN under IEEE-754 rules.

Common Beginner Mistakes

MistakeCorrect Approach
Ignoring this behavior: Dividing by zero returns INF, -INF or NAN; validate results before persisting calculationsDividing by zero returns INF, -INF or NAN; validate results before persisting calculations.

Key Takeaways

  • Divides floating-point numbers using IEEE 754 rules instead of throwing for zero divisors.
  • Dividing by zero returns INF, -INF or NAN; validate results before persisting calculations.
  • Available in PHP 8.0+.

Summary: Dividing by zero returns INF, -INF or NAN; validate results before persisting calculations.

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