maximum value for type float in c#

Question

when i do this:

float x = float.MaxValue;

I have the result: 3.40282347E+38

What is E+38? how can I represent the maximum number withou

Answer 1

The "E+38" format is the default. If you'd like to see the whole number, specify a different format like this:

float.MaxValue.ToString("#")

This will result in:

340282300000000000000000000000000000000

Here are some additional formats: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.globalization.numberformatinfo.aspx

Answer 2

This is called E-Notation (exponential notation), and is used with scientific notation.

From the E Notation section of the Wikipedia article on Scientific Notation:

Because super-scripted exponents like 10^7 cannot always be conveniently displayed, the letter E or e is often used to represent times ten raised to the power of (which would be written as "x 10^b") and is followed by the value of the exponent.

So, 3.40282347E+38 equals 3.40282347 * 1038 and would be read "3.40282347 times 10 to the power of 38".