How do I define a float in Javascript?

Question

So I want to give JS a number in exponential notation. Amazingly, I haven't found a reference on how to do this.

Why doesn't this work?

 var tempdec = 8.85956e-8;

I don't have to do

 var tempdec = parseFloat('8.95956e-8');

...do I?

... answered below.

The upshot: It does work.

However, using var in the console returns undefined. But it works nonetheless.

Returns 'undefined' in at least the Chrome Dev Tools console. — Joshua Penman, Jan 26 '15 at 01:07
Semicolon does not fix it. But thanks, I'll put in the question. — Joshua Penman, Jan 26 '15 at 01:07
see also http://stackoverflow.com/questions/14633968/chrome-firefox-console-log-always-prepends-a-line-saying-undefined — Paul, Jan 26 '15 at 01:34
this one even better http://stackoverflow.com/questions/22844840/why-does-javascript-variable-declaration-at-console-results-in-undefined-being — Paul, Jan 26 '15 at 01:36

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Jan 26 '15 at 01:08

1

Numbers in javascript are floating point integers, so you don't have to use parseFloat('8.95956e-8') as 8.85956e-8 is same.

Try this in the console:

var tempdec = 8.85956e-8;
console.log(tempdec);//It logs 8.85956e-8 not undefined
console.log(parseFloat(tempdec));//Logs the same as above...

answered Jan 26 '15 at 01:08

Okay... do you have any insight as to my initial question? Specifically, why `var tempdec = 8.85956e-8;` returns `undefined`? – Joshua Penman Jan 26 '15 at 01:09
1

@JoshuaPenman Because your line of code doesn't return anything for the console to output. If you enter `tempdec` it will show the value. – row1 Jan 26 '15 at 01:31
I thought I knew a little about floating point, but I don't know what "floating point integers" are. Could someone give me a hint? – Rudy Velthuis Jan 26 '15 at 16:58
nothing. I wanted to mean numbers... – Bhojendra Rauniyar Jan 26 '15 at 17:04

1 Answers1