The reminder of a division is, by definition, a positive number. So the answer "-3" is plain wrong.

Ciao!
--bronto

Update: To be exact: if n and m are an integer numbers (i.e. 0, -1, 1, -2, 2...) there is a unique decomposition of the form:

with r and q integers and |n| > r >= 0. q is said to be the quotient and r the reminder

That's why a negative reminder is wrong by definition

Update: fixed a typo.

The very nature of Perl to be like natural language--inconsistant and full of dwim and special cases--makes it impossible to know it all without simply memorizing the documentation (which is not complete or totally correct anyway).
--John M. Dlugosz