Do-s and Don't-s for floating point arithmetic?

Question

What are some good do-s and don\'t-s for floating point arithmetic (IEEE754 in case there\'s confusion) to ensure good numerical stability and high accuracy in your results?

Answer 1

My "main weapon" for avoiding floating-point pitfalls is to have a firm grasp on the way they work. I think Chris Hecker explains the basics pretty well.