Floating point binary

Question 1

what are floating point numbers

Answer 1

location of the decimal point moves around

Question 2

why are floating points needed

Answer 2

computer memory is limited, you cannot store numbers with infinite precision

Question 3

what are the two parts to a floating point number

Answer 3

• significant - contains the numbers digits
  exponent - where the deciomal point is placed relative to the beginning of the number

Question 4

give 2 limitaions of floating point numbers and explain them

Answer 4

• overflow - the results of a calculation is a number that is too large to store
• underflow - floating point calculation can produce a result that is so close to zero that the closest possible representation is zero

Question 5

what is absolute error

Answer 5

expected value - value you got

Question 6

what is relative error

Answer 6

absolute error / actual value