Floating Point Numbers
Floating Point Numbers
• Now we have seen unsigned and signed integers. In real life we
also need to be able represent numbers with fractional parts (like: -
12.5 & 45.39).
Called Floating Point numbers.
We will learn the IEEE 32-bit floating point representation.
Floating Point Numbers
• In the decimal system, a decimal point (radix point) separates
the whole numbers from the fractional part
• Examples:
37.25 ( whole = 37, fraction = 25/100)
123.567
10.12345678
Floating Point Numbers
For example, 37.25 can be analyzed as:
101 100 10-1 10-2
Tens Units Tenths Hundredths
3 7 2 5
37.25 = (3 x 10) + (7 x 1) + (2 x 1/10) + (5 x 1/100)
Binary Equivalence
The binary equivalent of a floating point number can be
determined by computing the binary representation for each
part separately.
1) For the whole part:
Use subtraction or division method previously learned.
2) For the fractional part:
Use the subtraction or multiplication method (to be shown
next)
Fractional Part – Multiplication Method
In the binary representation of a floating point number the
column values will be as follows:
… 25 24 23 22 21 20 . 2-1 2-2 2-3 2-4 …
… 32 16 8 4 2 1 . 1/2 1/4 1/8 1/16…
… 32 16 8 4 2 1 . .5 .25 .125 .0625…
Fractional Part – Multiplication Method
Ex 1. Find the binary equivalent of 0.25
Step 1: Multiply the fraction by 2 until the fractional part becomes
0
.25
x2
0.5
x2
1.0
Step 2: Collect the whole parts in forward order. Put
them after the radix point
. .5 .25 .125 .0625
. 0 1
Fractional Part – Multiplication Method
Ex 2. Find the binary equivalent of 0.625
Step 1: Multiply the fraction by 2 until the fractional part becomes 0
.625
x 2
1.25
x 2
0.50
x 2
1.0
Step 2: Collect the whole parts in forward order. Put them after the
radix point
. .5 .25 .125 .0625
. 1 0 1
Fractional Part – Subtraction Method
Start with the column values again, as follows:
… 20 . 2-1 2-2 2-3 2-4 2-5 2-6…
… 1 . 1/2 1/4 1/8 1/16 1/32 1/64…
… 1 . .5 .25 .125 .0625 .03125 .015625…
Fractional Part – Subtraction Method
Starting with 0.5, subtract the column values from
left to right. Insert a 0 in the column if the
value cannot be subtracted or 1 if it can be.
Continue until the fraction becomes .0
Ex 1.
.25 .5 .25 .125 .0625
- .25 .0 1
.0
Binary Equivalent of FP number
Ex 2. Convert 37.25, using subtraction method.
64 32 16 8 4 2 1 . .5 .25 .125 .0625
26 25 24 23 22 21 20 . 2-1 2-2 2-3 2-4
1 0 0 1 0 1. 0 1
37 .25
- 32 - .25
5 .0
-4
1
-1 37.2510 = 100101.012
0
Binary Equivalent of FP number
Ex 3. Convert 18.625, using subtraction method.
64 32 16 8 4 2 1 . .5 .25 .125 .0625
26 25 24 23 22 21 20 . 2-1 2-2 2-3 2-4
1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1
18 .625
- 16 - .5
2 .125
- 2 - .125
0 0
18.62510 = 10010.1012
Problem storing binary form
• We have no way to store the radix point!
• Large numbers will take so much space
• Standards committee came up with a way to store floating point
numbers (that have a decimal point)
IEEE Floating Point Representation
• Floating point numbers can be stored into 32-
bits, by dividing the bits into three parts:
the sign, the exponent, and the mantissa.
1 2 9 10 32
IEEE Floating Point Representation
• The first (leftmost) field of our floating point
representation will STILL be the sign bit:
• 0 for a positive number,
• 1 for a negative number.
Storing the Binary Form
How do we store a radix point?
- All we have are zeros and ones…
Make sure that the radix point is ALWAYS in the
same position within the number.
Use the IEEE 32-bit standard
the leftmost digit must be a 1
Solution is Normalization
Every binary number, except the one corresponding to
the number zero, can be normalized by choosing the
exponent so that the radix point falls to the right of the
leftmost 1 bit.
37.2510 = 100101.012 = 1.0010101 x 25
7.62510 = 111.1012 = 1.11101 x 22
0.312510 = 0.01012 = 1.01 x 2-2
IEEE Floating Point Representation
• The second field of the floating point number
will be the exponent.
• The exponent is stored as an unsigned 8-bit
number, RELATIVE to a bias of 127.
• Exponent 5 is stored as (127 + 5) or 132
• 132 = 10000100
• Exponent -5 is stored as (127 + (-5)) or 122
• 122 = 01111010
Try It Yourself
How would the following exponents be
stored (8-bits, 127-biased):
2-10
28
(Answers on next slide)
Answers
2-10
exponent -10 8-bit
bias +127 value
117 01110101
28
exponent 8 8-bit
bias +127 value
135 10000111
IEEE Floating Point Representation
• The significand or mantissa is the set of
0’s and 1’s to the right of the radix point of
the normalized (when the digit to the left of
the radix point is 1) binary number.
Ex: 1.00101 X 23
(The mantissa is 00101)
The mantissa is stored in a 23 bit field, so
we add zeros to the right side and store:
00101000000000000000000
Decimal Floating Point to IEEE standard Conversion
Ex 1: Find the IEEE FP representation of 40.15625
Step 1.
Compute the binary equivalent of the whole part and the fractional
part. (i.e. convert 40 and .15625 to their binary equivalents)
Decimal Floating Point to IEEE standard Conversion
40 .15625
- 32 Result: -.12500 Result:
8 101000 .03125 .00101
- 8 -.03125
0 .0
So: 40.1562510 = 101000.001012
Decimal Floating Point to IEEE standard Conversion
Step 2. Normalize the number by moving the
decimal point to the right of the leftmost one.
101000.00101 = 1.0100000101 x 25
Decimal Floating Point to IEEE standard Conversion
Step 3. Convert the exponent to a biased exponent
127 + 5 = 132
And convert biased exponent to 8-bit unsigned binary:
13210 = 100001002
Decimal Floating Point to IEEE standard Conversion
Step 4. Store the results from steps 1-3:
Sign Exponent Mantissa
(from step 3) (from step 2)
0 10000100 01000001010000000000000
Decimal Floating Point to IEEE standard Conversion
Ex 2: Find the IEEE FP representation of –24.75
Step 1. Compute the binary equivalent of the whole
part and the fractional part.
24 .75
- 16 Result: - .50 Result:
8 11000 .25 .11
- 8 - .25
0 .0
So: -24.7510 = -11000.112
Decimal Floating Point to IEEE standard Conversion
Step 2.
Normalize the number by moving the decimal
point to the right of the leftmost one.
-11000.11 = -1.100011 x 24
Decimal Floating Point to IEEE standard Conversion
Step 3. Convert the exponent to a biased
exponent
127 + 4 = 131
==> 13110 = 100000112
Step 4. Store the results from steps 1-3
Sign Exponent mantissa
1 10000011 1000110..0
IEEE standard to Decimal Floating Point Conversion
• Do the steps in reverse order
• In reversing the normalization step move the
radix point the number of digits equal to the
exponent:
• If exponent is positive, move to the right
• If exponent is negative, move to the left
IEEE standard to Decimal Floating Point Conversion
Ex 1: Convert the following 32-bit binary number
to its decimal floating point equivalent:
Sign Exponent Mantissa
1 01111101 010..0
IEEE standard to Decimal Floating Point Conversion
Step 1: Extract the biased exponent and unbias
it
Biased exponent = 011111012 = 12510
Unbiased Exponent: 125 – 127 = -2
IEEE standard to Decimal Floating Point Conversion..
Step 2: Write Normalized number in the form:
s Mantissa
(-1) 1 . ____________ x 2
Exponent
----
For our number:
-1. 01 x 2 –2
IEEE standard to Decimal Floating Point Conversion.
Step 3: Denormalize the binary number from step 2
(i.e. move the decimal and get rid of (x 2n) part):
-0.01012 (negative exponent – move left)
Step 4: Convert binary number to the FP equivalent
(i.e. Add all column values with 1s in them)
-0.01012 = - ( 0.25 + 0.0625)
= -0.312510
IEEE standard to Decimal Floating Point Conversion.
Ex 2: Convert the following 32 bit binary
number to its decimal floating point
equivalent:
Sign Exponent Mantissa
0 10000011 10011000..0
IEEE standard to Decimal Floating Point Conversion..
Step 1: Extract the biased exponent and unbias
it
Biased exponent = 10000112 = 13110
Unbiased Exponent: 131 – 127 = 4
IEEE standard to Decimal Floating Point Conversion..
Step 2: Write Normalized number in the form:
Exponent
1 . ____________
Mantissa x 2 ----
For our number:
1.10011 x 2 4
IEEE standard to Decimal Floating Point Conversion.
Step 3: Denormalize the binary number from step 2
(i.e. move the decimal and get rid of (x 2n) part:
11001.12 (positive exponent – move right)
Step 4: Convert binary number to the FP equivalent
(i.e. Add all column values with 1s in them)
11001.1 = 16 + 8 + 1 +.5
= 25.510
Examples (Model Questions)