help float()
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Title
[D] functions -- Functions
Programming function
float(x)
Domain: -1e+38 to 1e+38
Range: -1e+38 to 1e+38
Description: returns the value of x rounded to float precision.
Although you may store your numeric variables as byte,
int, long, float, or double, Stata converts all numbers
to double before performing any calculations.
Consequently, difficulties can arise in comparing
numbers that have no finite binary representations.
For example, if the variable x is stored as a float and
contains the value 1.1 (a repeating "decimal" in
binary), the expression x==1.1 will evaluate to false
because the literal 1.1 is the double representation of
1.1, which is different from the float representation
stored in x. (They differ by 2.384 x 10^(-8).) The
expression x==float(1.1) will evaluate to true because
the float() function converts the literal 1.1 to its
float representation before it is compared with x. (See
[U] 13.11 Precision and problems therein for more
information.)
Also see
Manual: [D] functions
Help: [D] functions, [D] functions (programming functions)
