AI engineering glossary · Computing foundations
What is floating-point number?
Floating-point number (also called float): A way of storing real numbers in a fixed number of bits using a sign, an exponent and a fraction, similar to scientific notation. It covers a huge range of magnitudes but represents most decimals only approximately.
Floating-point number: an example
In Python, 0.1 + 0.2 gives 0.30000000000000004 because neither value is stored exactly.
Related terms
More Computing foundations terms
- Garbage collection
- Global interpreter lock
- Graphical user interface
- Graphics processing unit
- Half-precision floating point
- Hard disk drive
- Hard link
- Hash function
Where you learn it
Floating-point number is part of the AI Engineering Program, which teaches it with notes, a hands-on lab and an exam. The first lesson is free.