What does float mean?

A real number with a fractional part, such as 3.5 or -0.25. Python calls the type float; exam papers say real.

Also written as: floats, real number, floating point

In a lesson

20 / 5 printed 4.0, not 4: / always gives a float, even when the answer is whole. // gives an integer. round tidies a long float: the second argument is how many decimal places to keep.

Learn it

• Taught in F1.9 Arithmetic operators Programming basics, GCSE

Used in

• F1.8 Data types and casting
• F1.10 Project: ask and drive
• F2.4 Nested selection and match
• F3.6 Records
• F3.7 Random numbers
• F7.1 Reading and writing files
• F7.5 Project: the logbook
• F10.6 The internet, DNS and the cloud
• 8.4 A tiny network
• 9.3 Protocols

and 28 more lessons.

All glossary terms