Programming languages basic types

Integer

Float ( Single )

Radix: Base 2 representation
Size: 32bit
Hardware supported
7 digits

Double

Radix: Base 2 representation
Size: 64bit
Hardware supported
15-16 digits
Scientific calculations 10^(+/-300)
Fast calc, Infinity, NAN, -0 support, large/small numbers
http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E19957-01/806-3568/ncg_goldberg.html#1374
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floating_point#Accuracy_problems

Decimal

Radix: Base 10 representation
Size: 128bit
Not hardware supported
28-29 significant digits    
base 10 accuracy
when you work with values in the range of 10^(+/-28) and where you have expectations about the behaviour based on base 10 representations.
Always use for money.
Support specific rounding modes.

.Net rounding

To nearest even number
Math.Round(3.5) == Math.Round(4.5)
5 == Math.Round(4.5, MidpointRounding.AwayFromZero)

Equality

• Rounding, then comparision
  
• Fixed precision comparasion (epsilon)
  
• Relative precision comparasion
  
  

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