Inside the Black Box - Denormal Numbers
Channel: Warwick RSE
Date: 16/11/2022

Because there is only a finite amount of memory that is used to store real numbers in a computer there is always a trade off between the range of numbers that can be represented and the precision of the numbers that can be represented. When numbers get as close to zero as can be represented there is a change in how they are stored to try and put off their becoming indistinguishable from zero. In this process they become denormal numbers and further trade off precision in order to remain distinguishable from zero. Denormal numbers are important and valuable but it is worth knowing that for very small numbers the accuracy of mathematical operations can become very poor.