Class:: Float
summary:: Floating point number
categories:: Math

description::
A 64-bit double precision floating point number. Float inherits most of its behaviour from its superclass.

Note that despite its name, link::Classes/FloatArray:: only holds 32-bit (single precision) floats.
For a raw array of 64-bit floats, use link::Classes/DoubleArray::.

ClassMethods::

method:: from32Bits
returns:: a new Float from a 32 bit word.

method:: from64Bits
returns:: a new Float from a 64 bit word.

InstanceMethods::

method:: do
iterates a link::Classes/Function:: from code::0:: to code::this-1::. See also: link::Classes/Integer#-do::, link::Classes/Collection#-do::
argument:: function
The function to iterate.

method:: reverseDo
iterates function from this-1 to 0
argument:: function
The function to iterate.

method:: coin
Perform a random test whose probability of success in a range from
zero to one is this and return the result.
returns:: a link::Classes/Boolean::
discussion::
code::
0.2.coin; // 20 % chance for true.
::
See also: link::Guides/Randomness::

method:: isFloat
returns:: code::true:: since this is a Float.

method:: asFloat
returns:: code::this:: since this is a Float.

method:: as32Bits
returns:: an Integer which is the bit pattern of this as a 32bit single precision float

method:: high32Bits
returns:: an Integer which is the bit pattern of high 32 bits of the 64 bit double precision floating point value

method:: low32Bits
returns:: an Integer which is the bit pattern of high 32 bits of the 64 bit double precision floating point value

method:: asStringPrec
Returns a string representation of the number, with the desired precision (i.e. number of significant figures).
discussion::
code::
// example:
pi
pi.asStringPrec(3)
pi.asStringPrec(6)
(pi * 0.0001).asStringPrec(3)
7.4.asStringPrec(5)
7.4.asStringPrec(50)
::