javascript weird problem ( a newbie)

[Subhash]

See following code:


<script type="text/javascript">
alert (21689540005341 43302);
</script>


It shows : 216895400053414 3200
It should have shown: 216895400053414 3302

Is it because it is a very big number?

[Tim Slattery]

Re: javascript weird problem ( a newbie)

Subhash <subhashsubhash @gmail.comwrote :

>See following code:
>
>
<script type="text/javascript">
> alert (21689540005341 43302);
</script>
>
>
>It shows : 216895400053414 3200
>It should have shown: 216895400053414 3302
>
>Is it because it is a very big number?

Yes. It's stored as a floating point number, which consists of an
exponent and a number. Very similar to scientific notation, where
numbers are expressed as something times ten to some power. This being
computers which use binary arithmetic, the exponent is a power of two.

What you're running into is that the base number (the non-exponent
part) is of a finite length, and therefore you can cram only so many
digits of precision into it. Your number is longer than that, so the
machine stores what it can and you get an approximation of the
original.

There's a discussion of floating point number in Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floating_point

--
Tim Slattery
Slattery_T@bls. gov

http://members.cox.net/slatteryt

[Rich Grise]

Re: javascript weird problem ( a newbie)

On Thu, 22 May 2008 05:07:44 -0700, Subhash wrote:

See following code:
>
<script type="text/javascript">
alert (21689540005341 43302);
</script>
>
>
It shows : 216895400053414 3200
It should have shown: 216895400053414 3302
>
Is it because it is a very big number?

Yes.

Try this:

<script type="text/javascript">
alert ("2168954000534 143302"); // note quotes
</script>

Have Fun!
Rich

[Dr J R Stockton]

Re: javascript weird problem ( a newbie)

In comp.lang.javas cript message <7e003707-02c6-4309-8462-2ab9e2e8822c@q2
7g2000prf.googl egroups.com>, Thu, 22 May 2008 05:07:44, Subhash
<subhashsubhash @gmail.composte d:

>See following code:
>
<script type="text/javascript">
alert (21689540005341 43302);
</script>
>
>It shows : 216895400053414 3200
>It should have shown: 216895400053414 3302
>
>Is it because it is a very big number?

The actual value stored for that number, in an IEEE Double, is
+21689540005341 43232.0 but the default conversion to string zeroes
meaningless digits.
<URL:http://www.merlyn.demo n.co.uk/js-misc0.htm#DW4et c.

It's a good idea to read the newsgroup c.l.j and its FAQ. See below.

--
(c) John Stockton, nr London UK. ?@merlyn.demon. co.uk IE7 FF2 Op9 Sf3
news:comp.lang. javascript FAQ <URL:http://www.jibbering.c om/faq/index.html>.
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