class Float

A Float object represents a sometimes-inexact real number using the native architecture’s double-precision floating point representation.

Floating point has a different arithmetic and is an inexact number. So you should know its esoteric system. See following:

You can create a Float object explicitly with:

A floating-point literal.

You can convert certain objects to Floats with:

Method Float.

What’s Here¶ ↑

First, what’s elsewhere. Class Float:

Inherits from class Numeric.

Here, class Float provides methods for:

Querying¶ ↑

finite?: Returns whether self is finite.
hash: Returns the integer hash code for self.
infinite?: Returns whether self is infinite.
nan?: Returns whether self is a NaN (not-a-number).

Comparing¶ ↑

#<: Returns whether self is less than the given value.
#<=: Returns whether self is less than or equal to the given value.
#<=>: Returns a number indicating whether self is less than, equal to, or greater than the given value.
== (aliased as === and eql?): Returns whether self is equal to the given value.
#>: Returns whether self is greater than the given value.
#>=: Returns whether self is greater than or equal to the given value.

Converting¶ ↑

% (aliased as modulo): Returns self modulo the given value.
*: Returns the product of self and the given value.
**: Returns the value of self raised to the power of the given value.
+: Returns the sum of self and the given value.
-: Returns the difference of self and the given value.
#/: Returns the quotient of self and the given value.
ceil: Returns the smallest number greater than or equal to self.
coerce: Returns a 2-element array containing the given value converted to a Float and self
divmod: Returns a 2-element array containing the quotient and remainder results of dividing self by the given value.
fdiv: Returns the Float result of dividing self by the given value.
floor: Returns the greatest number smaller than or equal to self.
next_float: Returns the next-larger representable Float.
prev_float: Returns the next-smaller representable Float.
quo: Returns the quotient from dividing self by the given value.
round: Returns self rounded to the nearest value, to a given precision.
to_i (aliased as to_int): Returns self truncated to an Integer.
to_s (aliased as inspect): Returns a string containing the place-value representation of self in the given radix.
truncate: Returns self truncated to a given precision.

Constants

DIG

The minimum number of significant decimal digits in a double-precision floating point.

Usually defaults to 15.

EPSILON

The difference between 1 and the smallest double-precision floating point number greater than 1.

Usually defaults to 2.2204460492503131e-16.

INFINITY

An expression representing positive infinity.

MANT_DIG

The number of base digits for the double data type.

Usually defaults to 53.

MAX

The largest possible integer in a double-precision floating point number.

Usually defaults to 1.7976931348623157e+308.

MAX_10_EXP

The largest positive exponent in a double-precision floating point where 10 raised to this power minus 1.

Usually defaults to 308.

MAX_EXP

The largest possible exponent value in a double-precision floating point.

Usually defaults to 1024.

MIN

The smallest positive normalized number in a double-precision floating point.

Usually defaults to 2.2250738585072014e-308.

If the platform supports denormalized numbers, there are numbers between zero and Float::MIN. 0.0.next_float returns the smallest positive floating point number including denormalized numbers.

MIN_10_EXP

The smallest negative exponent in a double-precision floating point where 10 raised to this power minus 1.

Usually defaults to -307.

MIN_EXP

The smallest possible exponent value in a double-precision floating point.

Usually defaults to -1021.

NAN

An expression representing a value which is “not a number”.

RADIX

The base of the floating point, or number of unique digits used to represent the number.

Usually defaults to 2 on most systems, which would represent a base-10 decimal.

Public Instance Methods

self % other → float click to toggle source

Returns self modulo other as a float.

For float f and real number r, these expressions are equivalent:

f % r
f-r*(f/r).floor
f.divmod(r)[1]

See Numeric#divmod.

Examples:

10.0 % 2              # => 0.0
10.0 % 3              # => 1.0
10.0 % 4              # => 2.0

10.0 % -2             # => 0.0
10.0 % -3             # => -2.0
10.0 % -4             # => -2.0

10.0 % 4.0            # => 2.0
10.0 % Rational(4, 1) # => 2.0

static VALUE
flo_mod(VALUE x, VALUE y)
{
    double fy;

    if (FIXNUM_P(y)) {
        fy = (double)FIX2LONG(y);
    }
    else if (RB_BIGNUM_TYPE_P(y)) {
        fy = rb_big2dbl(y);
    }
    else if (RB_FLOAT_TYPE_P(y)) {
        fy = RFLOAT_VALUE(y);
    }
    else {
        return rb_num_coerce_bin(x, y, '%');
    }
    return DBL2NUM(ruby_float_mod(RFLOAT_VALUE(x), fy));
}

Also aliased as: modulo

self * other → numeric click to toggle source

Returns a new Float which is the product of self and other:

f = 3.14
f * 2              # => 6.28
f * 2.0            # => 6.28
f * Rational(1, 2) # => 1.57
f * Complex(2, 0)  # => (6.28+0.0i)

VALUE
rb_float_mul(VALUE x, VALUE y)
{
    if (FIXNUM_P(y)) {
        return DBL2NUM(RFLOAT_VALUE(x) * (double)FIX2LONG(y));
    }
    else if (RB_BIGNUM_TYPE_P(y)) {
        return DBL2NUM(RFLOAT_VALUE(x) * rb_big2dbl(y));
    }
    else if (RB_FLOAT_TYPE_P(y)) {
        return DBL2NUM(RFLOAT_VALUE(x) * RFLOAT_VALUE(y));
    }
    else {
        return rb_num_coerce_bin(x, y, '*');
    }
}

self ** other → numeric click to toggle source

Raises self to the power of other:

f = 3.14
f ** 2              # => 9.8596
f ** -2             # => 0.1014239928597509
f ** 2.1            # => 11.054834900588839
f ** Rational(2, 1) # => 9.8596
f ** Complex(2, 0)  # => (9.8596+0i)

VALUE
rb_float_pow(VALUE x, VALUE y)
{
    double dx, dy;
    if (y == INT2FIX(2)) {
        dx = RFLOAT_VALUE(x);
        return DBL2NUM(dx * dx);
    }
    else if (FIXNUM_P(y)) {
        dx = RFLOAT_VALUE(x);
        dy = (double)FIX2LONG(y);
    }
    else if (RB_BIGNUM_TYPE_P(y)) {
        dx = RFLOAT_VALUE(x);
        dy = rb_big2dbl(y);
    }
    else if (RB_FLOAT_TYPE_P(y)) {
        dx = RFLOAT_VALUE(x);
        dy = RFLOAT_VALUE(y);
        if (dx < 0 && dy != round(dy))
            return rb_dbl_complex_new_polar_pi(pow(-dx, dy), dy);
    }
    else {
        return rb_num_coerce_bin(x, y, idPow);
    }
    return DBL2NUM(pow(dx, dy));
}

self + other → numeric click to toggle source

Returns a new Float which is the sum of self and other:

f = 3.14
f + 1                 # => 4.140000000000001
f + 1.0               # => 4.140000000000001
f + Rational(1, 1)    # => 4.140000000000001
f + Complex(1, 0)     # => (4.140000000000001+0i)

VALUE
rb_float_plus(VALUE x, VALUE y)
{
    if (FIXNUM_P(y)) {
        return DBL2NUM(RFLOAT_VALUE(x) + (double)FIX2LONG(y));
    }
    else if (RB_BIGNUM_TYPE_P(y)) {
        return DBL2NUM(RFLOAT_VALUE(x) + rb_big2dbl(y));
    }
    else if (RB_FLOAT_TYPE_P(y)) {
        return DBL2NUM(RFLOAT_VALUE(x) + RFLOAT_VALUE(y));
    }
    else {
        return rb_num_coerce_bin(x, y, '+');
    }
}

self - other → numeric click to toggle source

Returns a new Float which is the difference of self and other:

f = 3.14
f - 1                 # => 2.14
f - 1.0               # => 2.14
f - Rational(1, 1)    # => 2.14
f - Complex(1, 0)     # => (2.14+0i)

VALUE
rb_float_minus(VALUE x, VALUE y)
{
    if (FIXNUM_P(y)) {
        return DBL2NUM(RFLOAT_VALUE(x) - (double)FIX2LONG(y));
    }
    else if (RB_BIGNUM_TYPE_P(y)) {
        return DBL2NUM(RFLOAT_VALUE(x) - rb_big2dbl(y));
    }
    else if (RB_FLOAT_TYPE_P(y)) {
        return DBL2NUM(RFLOAT_VALUE(x) - RFLOAT_VALUE(y));
    }
    else {
        return rb_num_coerce_bin(x, y, '-');
    }
}

-float → float click to toggle source

Returns self, negated.

# File ruby_3_3_5/numeric.rb, line 340
def -@
  Primitive.attr! :leaf
  Primitive.cexpr! 'rb_float_uminus(self)'
end

self / other → numeric click to toggle source

Returns a new Float which is the result of dividing self by other:

f = 3.14
f / 2              # => 1.57
f / 2.0            # => 1.57
f / Rational(2, 1) # => 1.57
f / Complex(2, 0)  # => (1.57+0.0i)

VALUE
rb_float_div(VALUE x, VALUE y)
{
    double num = RFLOAT_VALUE(x);
    double den;
    double ret;

    if (FIXNUM_P(y)) {
        den = FIX2LONG(y);
    }
    else if (RB_BIGNUM_TYPE_P(y)) {
        den = rb_big2dbl(y);
    }
    else if (RB_FLOAT_TYPE_P(y)) {
        den = RFLOAT_VALUE(y);
    }
    else {
        return rb_num_coerce_bin(x, y, '/');
    }

    ret = double_div_double(num, den);
    return DBL2NUM(ret);
}

self < other → true or false click to toggle source

Returns true if self is numerically less than other:

2.0 < 3              # => true
2.0 < 3.0            # => true
2.0 < Rational(3, 1) # => true
2.0 < 2.0            # => false

Float::NAN < Float::NAN returns an implementation-dependent value.

static VALUE
flo_lt(VALUE x, VALUE y)
{
    double a, b;

    a = RFLOAT_VALUE(x);
    if (RB_INTEGER_TYPE_P(y)) {
        VALUE rel = rb_integer_float_cmp(y, x);
        if (FIXNUM_P(rel))
            return RBOOL(-FIX2LONG(rel) < 0);
        return Qfalse;
    }
    else if (RB_FLOAT_TYPE_P(y)) {
        b = RFLOAT_VALUE(y);
#if MSC_VERSION_BEFORE(1300)
        if (isnan(b)) return Qfalse;
#endif
    }
    else {
        return rb_num_coerce_relop(x, y, '<');
    }
#if MSC_VERSION_BEFORE(1300)
    if (isnan(a)) return Qfalse;
#endif
    return RBOOL(a < b);
}

self <= other → true or false click to toggle source

Returns true if self is numerically less than or equal to other:

2.0 <= 3              # => true
2.0 <= 3.0            # => true
2.0 <= Rational(3, 1) # => true
2.0 <= 2.0            # => true
2.0 <= 1.0            # => false

Float::NAN <= Float::NAN returns an implementation-dependent value.

static VALUE
flo_le(VALUE x, VALUE y)
{
    double a, b;

    a = RFLOAT_VALUE(x);
    if (RB_INTEGER_TYPE_P(y)) {
        VALUE rel = rb_integer_float_cmp(y, x);
        if (FIXNUM_P(rel))
            return RBOOL(-FIX2LONG(rel) <= 0);
        return Qfalse;
    }
    else if (RB_FLOAT_TYPE_P(y)) {
        b = RFLOAT_VALUE(y);
#if MSC_VERSION_BEFORE(1300)
        if (isnan(b)) return Qfalse;
#endif
    }
    else {
        return rb_num_coerce_relop(x, y, idLE);
    }
#if MSC_VERSION_BEFORE(1300)
    if (isnan(a)) return Qfalse;
#endif
    return RBOOL(a <= b);
}

self <=> other → -1, 0, +1, or nil click to toggle source

Returns a value that depends on the numeric relation between self and other:

-1, if self is less than other.
0, if self is equal to other.
1, if self is greater than other.
nil, if the two values are incommensurate.

Examples:

2.0 <=> 2              # => 0
2.0 <=> 2.0            # => 0
2.0 <=> Rational(2, 1) # => 0
2.0 <=> Complex(2, 0)  # => 0
2.0 <=> 1.9            # => 1
2.0 <=> 2.1            # => -1
2.0 <=> 'foo'          # => nil

This is the basis for the tests in the Comparable module.

Float::NAN <=> Float::NAN returns an implementation-dependent value.

static VALUE
flo_cmp(VALUE x, VALUE y)
{
    double a, b;
    VALUE i;

    a = RFLOAT_VALUE(x);
    if (isnan(a)) return Qnil;
    if (RB_INTEGER_TYPE_P(y)) {
        VALUE rel = rb_integer_float_cmp(y, x);
        if (FIXNUM_P(rel))
            return LONG2FIX(-FIX2LONG(rel));
        return rel;
    }
    else if (RB_FLOAT_TYPE_P(y)) {
        b = RFLOAT_VALUE(y);
    }
    else {
        if (isinf(a) && !UNDEF_P(i = rb_check_funcall(y, rb_intern("infinite?"), 0, 0))) {
            if (RTEST(i)) {
                int j = rb_cmpint(i, x, y);
                j = (a > 0.0) ? (j > 0 ? 0 : +1) : (j < 0 ? 0 : -1);
                return INT2FIX(j);
            }
            if (a > 0.0) return INT2FIX(1);
            return INT2FIX(-1);
        }
        return rb_num_coerce_cmp(x, y, id_cmp);
    }
    return rb_dbl_cmp(a, b);
}

self == other → true or false click to toggle source

Returns true if other has the same value as self, false otherwise:

2.0 == 2              # => true
2.0 == 2.0            # => true
2.0 == Rational(2, 1) # => true
2.0 == Complex(2, 0)  # => true

Float::NAN == Float::NAN returns an implementation-dependent value.

Related: Float#eql? (requires other to be a Float).

VALUE
rb_float_equal(VALUE x, VALUE y)
{
    volatile double a, b;

    if (RB_INTEGER_TYPE_P(y)) {
        return rb_integer_float_eq(y, x);
    }
    else if (RB_FLOAT_TYPE_P(y)) {
        b = RFLOAT_VALUE(y);
#if MSC_VERSION_BEFORE(1300)
        if (isnan(b)) return Qfalse;
#endif
    }
    else {
        return num_equal(x, y);
    }
    a = RFLOAT_VALUE(x);
#if MSC_VERSION_BEFORE(1300)
    if (isnan(a)) return Qfalse;
#endif
    return RBOOL(a == b);
}

Also aliased as: ===

===(p1)

Returns true if other has the same value as self, false otherwise:

2.0 == 2              # => true
2.0 == 2.0            # => true
2.0 == Rational(2, 1) # => true
2.0 == Complex(2, 0)  # => true

Float::NAN == Float::NAN returns an implementation-dependent value.

Related: Float#eql? (requires other to be a Float).

Alias for: ==

self > other → true or false click to toggle source

Returns true if self is numerically greater than other:

2.0 > 1              # => true
2.0 > 1.0            # => true
2.0 > Rational(1, 2) # => true
2.0 > 2.0            # => false

Float::NAN > Float::NAN returns an implementation-dependent value.

VALUE
rb_float_gt(VALUE x, VALUE y)
{
    double a, b;

    a = RFLOAT_VALUE(x);
    if (RB_INTEGER_TYPE_P(y)) {
        VALUE rel = rb_integer_float_cmp(y, x);
        if (FIXNUM_P(rel))
            return RBOOL(-FIX2LONG(rel) > 0);
        return Qfalse;
    }
    else if (RB_FLOAT_TYPE_P(y)) {
        b = RFLOAT_VALUE(y);
#if MSC_VERSION_BEFORE(1300)
        if (isnan(b)) return Qfalse;
#endif
    }
    else {
        return rb_num_coerce_relop(x, y, '>');
    }
#if MSC_VERSION_BEFORE(1300)
    if (isnan(a)) return Qfalse;
#endif
    return RBOOL(a > b);
}

self >= other → true or false click to toggle source

Returns true if self is numerically greater than or equal to other:

2.0 >= 1              # => true
2.0 >= 1.0            # => true
2.0 >= Rational(1, 2) # => true
2.0 >= 2.0            # => true
2.0 >= 2.1            # => false

Float::NAN >= Float::NAN returns an implementation-dependent value.

static VALUE
flo_ge(VALUE x, VALUE y)
{
    double a, b;

    a = RFLOAT_VALUE(x);
    if (RB_TYPE_P(y, T_FIXNUM) || RB_BIGNUM_TYPE_P(y)) {
        VALUE rel = rb_integer_float_cmp(y, x);
        if (FIXNUM_P(rel))
            return RBOOL(-FIX2LONG(rel) >= 0);
        return Qfalse;
    }
    else if (RB_FLOAT_TYPE_P(y)) {
        b = RFLOAT_VALUE(y);
#if MSC_VERSION_BEFORE(1300)
        if (isnan(b)) return Qfalse;
#endif
    }
    else {
        return rb_num_coerce_relop(x, y, idGE);
    }
#if MSC_VERSION_BEFORE(1300)
    if (isnan(a)) return Qfalse;
#endif
    return RBOOL(a >= b);
}

abs → float click to toggle source

Returns the absolute value of self:

(-34.56).abs # => 34.56
-34.56.abs   # => 34.56
34.56.abs    # => 34.56

# File ruby_3_3_5/numeric.rb, line 325
def abs
  Primitive.attr! :leaf
  Primitive.cexpr! 'rb_float_abs(self)'
end

angle()

Returns 0 if self is positive, Math::PI otherwise.

Alias for: arg

arg → 0 or Math::PI click to toggle source

Returns 0 if self is positive, Math::PI otherwise.

static VALUE
float_arg(VALUE self)
{
    if (isnan(RFLOAT_VALUE(self)))
        return self;
    if (f_tpositive_p(self))
        return INT2FIX(0);
    return rb_const_get(rb_mMath, id_PI);
}

Also aliased as: angle, phase

ceil(ndigits = 0) → float or integer click to toggle source

Returns the smallest number greater than or equal to self with a precision of ndigits decimal digits.

When ndigits is positive, returns a float with ndigits digits after the decimal point (as available):

f = 12345.6789
f.ceil(1) # => 12345.7
f.ceil(3) # => 12345.679
f = -12345.6789
f.ceil(1) # => -12345.6
f.ceil(3) # => -12345.678

When ndigits is non-positive, returns an integer with at least ndigits.abs trailing zeros:

f = 12345.6789
f.ceil(0)  # => 12346
f.ceil(-3) # => 13000
f = -12345.6789
f.ceil(0)  # => -12345
f.ceil(-3) # => -12000

Note that the limited precision of floating-point arithmetic may lead to surprising results:

(2.1 / 0.7).ceil  #=> 4 (!)

Related: Float#floor.

static VALUE
flo_ceil(int argc, VALUE *argv, VALUE num)
{
    int ndigits = flo_ndigits(argc, argv);
    return rb_float_ceil(num, ndigits);
}

coerce(other) → array click to toggle source

Returns a 2-element array containing other converted to a Float and self:

f = 3.14                 # => 3.14
f.coerce(2)              # => [2.0, 3.14]
f.coerce(2.0)            # => [2.0, 3.14]
f.coerce(Rational(1, 2)) # => [0.5, 3.14]
f.coerce(Complex(1, 0))  # => [1.0, 3.14]

Raises an exception if a type conversion fails.

static VALUE
flo_coerce(VALUE x, VALUE y)
{
    return rb_assoc_new(rb_Float(y), x);
}

denominator → integer click to toggle source

Returns the denominator (always positive). The result is machine dependent.