Behavior of Python ** and % operators with big numbers

Question

When I put in Python interpreter a ** b % c with large a (20 figures) b (4 figures) c (20 figures) I saw that Python calculates it pretty fast, almost like pow (a,b,c). I expect

Answer 1

If you are typing into the Python interpreter something like:

20937505974095709374 ** 3438

Then seeing a couple of seconds wait. Then trying:

20937505974095709374 ** 3438 % 6

And seeing no wait, and wondering why there is a difference, then the delay that you see in the first instance is actually the time your terminal takes to buffer and print the huge number you just created to the screen.