JavaScript Numbers
Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2023 9:07 am
JavaScript Numbers
JavaScript has only one type of number.
Numbers can be written with or without decimals.
Example
let x = 3.14; // A number with decimals
let y = 3; // A number without decimals
Try it
Yourself »
Extra large or extra small numbers can be written with scientific (exponent) notation:
Example
let x = 123e5; // 12300000
let y = 123e-5; // 0.00123
Try it
Yourself »
JavaScript Numbers are Always 64-bit Floating Point
Unlike many other programming languages,
JavaScript does not define different types of numbers, like integers, short, long,
floating-point etc.
JavaScript numbers are always stored as double precision floating point
numbers, following the international IEEE 754 standard. This format
stores numbers in 64 bits, where the number (the fraction) is stored in bits 0
to 51, the exponent in bits 52 to 62, and the sign in bit 63:
Value (aka Fraction/Mantissa)
Exponent
Sign
52 bits (0 - 51)
11 bits (52 - 62)
1 bit (63)
Integer Precision
Integers (numbers without a period or exponent notation) are accurate up to 15 digits.
Example
let x = 999999999999999; // x will be 999999999999999
let y = 9999999999999999; // y will be 10000000000000000
Try it Yourself »
The maximum number of decimals is 17.
Floating Precision
Floating point arithmetic is not always 100% accurate:
let x = 0.2 + 0.1;
Try it
Yourself »
To solve the problem above, it helps to multiply and divide:
let x = (0.2 * 10 + 0.1 * 10) / 10;
Try it Yourself »
Adding Numbers and Strings
WARNING !!
JavaScript uses the + operator for both addition and concatenation.
Numbers are added. Strings are concatenated.
If you add two numbers, the result will be a number:
Example
let x = 10;
let y = 20;
let z = x + y;
Try it Yourself »
If you add two strings, the result will be a string concatenation:
Example
let x = "10";
let y = "20";
let z = x + y;
Try it Yourself »
If you add a number and a string, the result will be a string concatenation:
Example
let x = 10;
let y = "20";
let z = x + y;
Try it Yourself »
If you add a string and a number, the result will be a string concatenation:
Example
let x = "10";
let y = 20;
let z = x + y;
Try it Yourself »
A common mistake is to expect this result to be 30:
Example
let x = 10;
let y = 20;
let z = "The result is: " + x + y;
Try it Yourself »
A common mistake is to expect this result to be 102030:
Example
let x = 10;
let y = 20;
let z = "30";
let result = x + y + z;
Try it Yourself »
The JavaScript interpreter works from left to right.
First 10 + 20 is added because x and y are both numbers.
Then 30 + "30" is concatenated because z is a string.
Numeric Strings
JavaScript strings can have numeric content:
let x = 100; // x is a number
let y = "100"; // y is a
string
JavaScript will try to convert strings to numbers in all numeric operations:
This will work:
let x = "100";
let y = "10";
let z = x / y;
Try it Yourself »
This will also work:
let x = "100";
let y = "10";
let z = x * y;
Try it Yourself »
And this will work:
let x = "100";
let y = "10";
let z = x - y;
Try it Yourself »
But this will not work:
let x = "100";
let y = "10";
let z = x + y;
Try it Yourself »
In the last example JavaScript uses the + operator to concatenate the strings.
NaN - Not a Number
NaN is a JavaScript reserved word indicating that a number is not a legal number.
Trying to do arithmetic with a non-numeric string will result in NaN (Not a
Number):
Example
let x = 100 / "Apple";
Try it Yourself »
However, if the string is numeric, the result will be a
number:
Example
let x = 100 / "10";
Try it Yourself »
You can use the global JavaScript function isNaN()
to find out if a value is a not a number:
Example
let x = 100 / "Apple";isNaN(x);
Try it Yourself »
Watch out for NaN. If you use NaN in a mathematical operation, the result will also be NaN:
Example
let x = NaN;
let y = 5;
let z = x + y;
Try it Yourself »
Or the result might be a concatenation like NaN5:
Example
let x = NaN;
let y = "5";
let z = x + y;
Try it Yourself »
NaN is a number: typeof NaN returns number:
Example
typeof NaN;
Try it Yourself »
Infinity
Infinity (or -Infinity) is the value JavaScript will return if you calculate a number outside the largest
possible number.
Example
let myNumber = 2;
// Execute until Infinity
while (myNumber != Infinity) {
myNumber = myNumber * myNumber;}
Try
it Yourself »
Division by 0 (zero) also generates Infinity:
Example
let x = 2 / 0;
let y = -2 / 0;
Try it Yourself »
Infinity is a number: typeof Infinity returns number.
Example
typeof Infinity;
Try it Yourself »
Hexadecimal
JavaScript interprets numeric constants as hexadecimal if they are preceded by
0x.
Example
let x = 0xFF;
Try it Yourself »
Never write a number with a leading zero (like 07).Some JavaScript versions interpret
numbers as octal if they are written with a leading zero.
By default, JavaScript displays numbers as base 10 decimals.
But you can use the toString() method to output numbers from base 2
to base 36.
Hexadecimal is base 16. Decimal is base 10.
Octal is base 8. Binary is base 2.
Example
let myNumber = 32;
myNumber.toString(32);
myNumber.toString(16);
myNumber.toString(12);
myNumber.toString(10);
myNumber.toString(8);
myNumber.toString(2);
Try it Yourself »
JavaScript Numbers as Objects
Normally JavaScript numbers are primitive values created from literals:
let x = 123;
But numbers can also be defined as objects with the keyword new:
let y = new Number(123);
Example
let x = 123;
let y = new Number(123);
Try
it Yourself »
Do not create Number objects.
The new keyword complicates the code and slows down execution speed.
Number Objects can produce unexpected results:
When using the == operator, x and y are equal:
let x = 500;
let y = new Number(500);
Try it Yourself »
When using the === operator, x and y are not equal.
let x = 500;
let y = new Number(500);
Try it Yourself »
Note the difference between (x==y) and (x===y).
(x == y) true or false?
let x = new Number(500);
let y = new Number(500);
Try it Yourself »
(x === y) true or false?
let x = new Number(500);
let y = new Number(500);
Try it Yourself »
Comparing two JavaScript objects always returns false.
Complete JavaScript Number Reference
For a complete Number reference, visit our:
Complete JavaScript Number Reference.
The reference contains descriptions and examples of all Number properties and methods.
★
+1
Reference: https://www.w3schools.com/js/js_numbers.asp
JavaScript has only one type of number.
Numbers can be written with or without decimals.
Example
let x = 3.14; // A number with decimals
let y = 3; // A number without decimals
Try it
Yourself »
Extra large or extra small numbers can be written with scientific (exponent) notation:
Example
let x = 123e5; // 12300000
let y = 123e-5; // 0.00123
Try it
Yourself »
JavaScript Numbers are Always 64-bit Floating Point
Unlike many other programming languages,
JavaScript does not define different types of numbers, like integers, short, long,
floating-point etc.
JavaScript numbers are always stored as double precision floating point
numbers, following the international IEEE 754 standard. This format
stores numbers in 64 bits, where the number (the fraction) is stored in bits 0
to 51, the exponent in bits 52 to 62, and the sign in bit 63:
Value (aka Fraction/Mantissa)
Exponent
Sign
52 bits (0 - 51)
11 bits (52 - 62)
1 bit (63)
Integer Precision
Integers (numbers without a period or exponent notation) are accurate up to 15 digits.
Example
let x = 999999999999999; // x will be 999999999999999
let y = 9999999999999999; // y will be 10000000000000000
Try it Yourself »
The maximum number of decimals is 17.
Floating Precision
Floating point arithmetic is not always 100% accurate:
let x = 0.2 + 0.1;
Try it
Yourself »
To solve the problem above, it helps to multiply and divide:
let x = (0.2 * 10 + 0.1 * 10) / 10;
Try it Yourself »
Adding Numbers and Strings
WARNING !!
JavaScript uses the + operator for both addition and concatenation.
Numbers are added. Strings are concatenated.
If you add two numbers, the result will be a number:
Example
let x = 10;
let y = 20;
let z = x + y;
Try it Yourself »
If you add two strings, the result will be a string concatenation:
Example
let x = "10";
let y = "20";
let z = x + y;
Try it Yourself »
If you add a number and a string, the result will be a string concatenation:
Example
let x = 10;
let y = "20";
let z = x + y;
Try it Yourself »
If you add a string and a number, the result will be a string concatenation:
Example
let x = "10";
let y = 20;
let z = x + y;
Try it Yourself »
A common mistake is to expect this result to be 30:
Example
let x = 10;
let y = 20;
let z = "The result is: " + x + y;
Try it Yourself »
A common mistake is to expect this result to be 102030:
Example
let x = 10;
let y = 20;
let z = "30";
let result = x + y + z;
Try it Yourself »
The JavaScript interpreter works from left to right.
First 10 + 20 is added because x and y are both numbers.
Then 30 + "30" is concatenated because z is a string.
Numeric Strings
JavaScript strings can have numeric content:
let x = 100; // x is a number
let y = "100"; // y is a
string
JavaScript will try to convert strings to numbers in all numeric operations:
This will work:
let x = "100";
let y = "10";
let z = x / y;
Try it Yourself »
This will also work:
let x = "100";
let y = "10";
let z = x * y;
Try it Yourself »
And this will work:
let x = "100";
let y = "10";
let z = x - y;
Try it Yourself »
But this will not work:
let x = "100";
let y = "10";
let z = x + y;
Try it Yourself »
In the last example JavaScript uses the + operator to concatenate the strings.
NaN - Not a Number
NaN is a JavaScript reserved word indicating that a number is not a legal number.
Trying to do arithmetic with a non-numeric string will result in NaN (Not a
Number):
Example
let x = 100 / "Apple";
Try it Yourself »
However, if the string is numeric, the result will be a
number:
Example
let x = 100 / "10";
Try it Yourself »
You can use the global JavaScript function isNaN()
to find out if a value is a not a number:
Example
let x = 100 / "Apple";isNaN(x);
Try it Yourself »
Watch out for NaN. If you use NaN in a mathematical operation, the result will also be NaN:
Example
let x = NaN;
let y = 5;
let z = x + y;
Try it Yourself »
Or the result might be a concatenation like NaN5:
Example
let x = NaN;
let y = "5";
let z = x + y;
Try it Yourself »
NaN is a number: typeof NaN returns number:
Example
typeof NaN;
Try it Yourself »
Infinity
Infinity (or -Infinity) is the value JavaScript will return if you calculate a number outside the largest
possible number.
Example
let myNumber = 2;
// Execute until Infinity
while (myNumber != Infinity) {
myNumber = myNumber * myNumber;}
Try
it Yourself »
Division by 0 (zero) also generates Infinity:
Example
let x = 2 / 0;
let y = -2 / 0;
Try it Yourself »
Infinity is a number: typeof Infinity returns number.
Example
typeof Infinity;
Try it Yourself »
Hexadecimal
JavaScript interprets numeric constants as hexadecimal if they are preceded by
0x.
Example
let x = 0xFF;
Try it Yourself »
Never write a number with a leading zero (like 07).Some JavaScript versions interpret
numbers as octal if they are written with a leading zero.
By default, JavaScript displays numbers as base 10 decimals.
But you can use the toString() method to output numbers from base 2
to base 36.
Hexadecimal is base 16. Decimal is base 10.
Octal is base 8. Binary is base 2.
Example
let myNumber = 32;
myNumber.toString(32);
myNumber.toString(16);
myNumber.toString(12);
myNumber.toString(10);
myNumber.toString(8);
myNumber.toString(2);
Try it Yourself »
JavaScript Numbers as Objects
Normally JavaScript numbers are primitive values created from literals:
let x = 123;
But numbers can also be defined as objects with the keyword new:
let y = new Number(123);
Example
let x = 123;
let y = new Number(123);
Try
it Yourself »
Do not create Number objects.
The new keyword complicates the code and slows down execution speed.
Number Objects can produce unexpected results:
When using the == operator, x and y are equal:
let x = 500;
let y = new Number(500);
Try it Yourself »
When using the === operator, x and y are not equal.
let x = 500;
let y = new Number(500);
Try it Yourself »
Note the difference between (x==y) and (x===y).
(x == y) true or false?
let x = new Number(500);
let y = new Number(500);
Try it Yourself »
(x === y) true or false?
let x = new Number(500);
let y = new Number(500);
Try it Yourself »
Comparing two JavaScript objects always returns false.
Complete JavaScript Number Reference
For a complete Number reference, visit our:
Complete JavaScript Number Reference.
The reference contains descriptions and examples of all Number properties and methods.
★
+1
Reference: https://www.w3schools.com/js/js_numbers.asp