CS - Data Rep - FPR

Question 1

How are real numbers stored in a computer?

Answer 1

using Floating Point Representation

Question 2

When more bits of storage is given to the mantissa…

Answer 2

…more decimal places can be stored, so the accuracy of the numbers is increased

Question 3

What is the exponent and what does it control?

Answer 3

• Exponent = Position of the decimal point
• Controls the range of a number (how large it can be)

Question 4

Define Floating Point Representation and Real numbers, highlighting their correlation.

Answer 4

• It is used to store real numbers. This stores 2 numbers to represent the real number - mantissa and exponent.
• Real numbers are numbers with a decimal point or fractions.

Question 5

What is the mantissa and what does it control?

Answer 5

• Mantissa = Actual digits of the number
• Controls the precision of a number

Question 6

The more bits allocated to the exponent in memory…

Answer 6

…the larger the range of numbers can be stored