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As a programmer, we have been told about floating points errors on computer. Do Calculators have floating point error too?

Example.

0.1 (display) = .0999999998603016  (actual value used) on computers 

Not really 0.1 But you can see it is close.

  • 7
    Every calculating machine that does inexact arithmetic will have floating point error...2011-11-21
  • 0
    Calculators typically use decimal arithmetic and so can show "nicer" numbers than computers, which do binary arithmetic.2011-11-21
  • 3
    Also, calculators usually use more digits internally than they display. This tends to reduce roundoff error, but it does not eliminate it.2011-11-22
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    "Calculators typically use decimal arithmetic" - more precisely, [BCD](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binary-coded_decimal).2011-11-22
  • 0
    I dont think calculators have round off errors as in floating points.2011-11-22
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    TomCat: “I dont think calculators have round off errors as in floating points.” I think that you are right, but why did you ask the question if you know the answer?2011-11-22
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    I don't know the answer. I am fixing floating point error in my program. I want to use calculator to compare the result and show the error. Of course the more you discuss, the clearer it becomes, but no that is not the answer. I am not an authority on calculators and if I say it shouldn't have error, that does not mean it does not have floating point errors. May be a different algorithm is used. I know there is some error in calculators too.2011-11-22

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