Cpp - Floating-point types

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Introduction

Type

 Size

 Range of
Values
Lowest Positive
Value
Accuracy
(decimal)
float
 4 bytes
 -3.4E+38
 1.2E-38
 6 digits
double
 8 bytes
 -1.7E+308
 2.3E-308
 15 digits
long double
 10 bytes
 -1.1E+4932
 3.4E-4932
 19 digits

Numbers with a fraction part are indicated by a decimal point in C++ and are referred to as floating-point numbers.

The following three types are available for calculations involving floating-point numbers:

  • float for simple accuracy
  • double for double accuracy
  • long double for high accuracy

Floating-point literals 


5.19              
0.519E1           
0.0519e2          
519.OE-2

1.8E-2 represents a value of 1.8*0.01.

E can also be written with a small letter e.

A decimal point or E (e) must always be used to distinguish floating-point constants from integer constants.

Floating-point constants are of type double by default.

You can add F or f to designate the float type, or add L or l for the long double type.

Exercise