Divide Without Operators | Dataford Interview Questions

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Problem

FNZ platform calculations may require integer division for normalized portfolio values without relying on language division helpers. Implement integer division using bit shifts and subtraction only.

Given two signed 32-bit integers, dividend and divisor, return the quotient truncated toward zero. Do not use /, //, %, *, **, divmod, or equivalent library functions. You may use comparisons, addition, subtraction, and bit shifts.

If the result is outside the signed 32-bit range, clamp it to 2147483647 or -2147483648. The divisor is guaranteed to be nonzero.

Formal Specification

Input: two integers, dividend and divisor, each in [-2147483648, 2147483647].
Output: an integer equal to truncation toward zero of dividend / divisor, clamped to the signed 32-bit range.

Constraints

-2147483648 <= dividend <= 2147483647
-2147483648 <= divisor <= 2147483647
divisor != 0
The result must be truncated toward zero
Division, multiplication, modulo, exponentiation, divmod, and equivalent helpers are prohibited

Function Signature

def divide(dividend, divisor):