Math.fround()

The Math.fround() function returns the nearest 32-bit single precision float representation of a Number.

Syntax

Math.fround(doubleFloat)

Parameters

doubleFloat

A Number. If the parameter is of a different type, it will get converted to a number or to NaN if it cannot be converted.

Return value

The nearest 32-bit single precision float representation of the given number.

Description

JavaScript uses 64-bit double floating-point numbers internally, which offer a very high precision. However, sometimes you may be working with 32-bit floating-point numbers, for example if you are reading values from a Float32Array. This can create confusion: Checking a 64-bit float and a 32-bit float for equality may fail even though the numbers are seemingly identical.

To solve this, Math.fround() can be used to cast the 64-bit float to a 32-bit float. Internally, JavaScript continues to treat the number as a 64-bit float, it just performs a "round to even" on the 23rd bit of the mantissa, and sets all following mantissa bits to 0. If the number is outside the range of a 32-bit float, Infinity or -Infinity is returned.

Because fround() is a static method of Math, you always use it as Math.fround(), rather than as a method of a Math object you created (Math is not a constructor).

Examples

Using Math.fround()

The number 1.5 can be precisely represented in the binary numeral system, and is identical in 32-bit and 64-bit:

Math.fround(1.5); // 1.5
Math.fround(1.5) === 1.5; // true

However, the number 1.337 cannot be precisely represented in the binary numeral system, so it differs in 32-bit and 64-bit:

Math.fround(1.337); // 1.3370000123977661
Math.fround(1.337) === 1.337; // false

2 150 2^150 is too big for a 32-bit float, so Infinity is returned:

2 ** 150; // 1.42724769270596e+45
Math.fround(2 ** 150); // Infinity

If the parameter cannot be converted to a number, or it is not-a-number (NaN), Math.fround() will return NaN:

Math.fround('abc'); // NaN
Math.fround(NaN); // NaN

Polyfill

This can be emulated with the following function, if Float32Array are supported:

Math.fround = Math.fround || (function (array) {
  return function(x) {
    return array[0] = x, array[0];
  };
})(new Float32Array(1));

Supporting older browsers is slower, but also possible:

if (!Math.fround) Math.fround = function(arg) {
  arg = Number(arg);
  // Return early for ±0 and NaN.
  if (!arg) return arg;
  var sign = arg < 0 ? -1 : 1;
  if (sign < 0) arg = -arg;
  // Compute the exponent (8 bits, signed).
  var exp = Math.floor(Math.log(arg) / Math.LN2);
  var powexp = Math.pow(2, Math.max(-126, Math.min(exp, 127)));
  // Handle subnormals: leading digit is zero if exponent bits are all zero.
  var leading = exp < -127 ? 0 : 1;
  // Compute 23 bits of mantissa, inverted to round toward zero.
  var mantissa = Math.round((leading - arg / powexp) * 0x800000);
  if (mantissa <= -0x800000) return sign * Infinity;
  return sign * powexp * (leading - mantissa / 0x800000);
};

Specifications

Browser compatibility

Desktop Mobile
Chrome Edge Firefox Internet Explorer Opera Safari WebView Android Chrome Android Firefox for Android Opera Android Safari on IOS Samsung Internet
fround
38
12
26
No
25
8
38
38
26
25
8
3.0

See also

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Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License v2.5 or later.
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Math/fround