Number

Unlike object-oriented programming languages (C++, C#, Java), JavaScript doesn't has different types of numbers, like integer, floating-point, long, double etc. JavaScript has only one type of number that is floating-point number. You can write JavaScript numbers with or without decimal.

<script>
var x = 5; // number without decimal
var y = 5.42; // number with decimal
</script>

A JavaScript number is a 64bit (8 bytes) floating-point number which has range of 5e-324 (negative) to 1.7976931348623157e+308 (positive).

JavaScript Numbers Accuracy

JavaScript numbers without decimal are considered accurate up to 15 digits and JavaScript Numbers with decimal are considered accurate up to 16 digits.

<script>
//Non-decimal number accuracy test
var x = 999999999999999; //15 digits
var y = 9999999999999999; //16 digits 
var z = 8999999999999999; //16 digit
console.log(x); //999999999999999
console.log(y); //10000000000000000
console.log(z); //8999999999999999
//Decimal number accuracy test
var x = 1.999999999999999; //16 digits
var y = 1.9999999999999999; //17 digits
var z = 11.999999999999999; //17 digits
console.log(x); //1.999999999999999
console.log(y); //2
console.log(z); //11.999999999999998
var x = 16.99999999999999; //16 digits
var y = 161.9999999999999; //16 digits
var z = 161.99999999999999; //17 digits
console.log(x); //16.99999999999999
console.log(y); //161.9999999999999
console.log(z); //162 
</script>

Note

If you want to get accurate result, take non-decimal number up to 15 digits and decimal numbers up to 16 digits. Since floating point arithmetic is not always 100% accurate.

JavaScript Special Type Numbers

JavaScript has two special types numbers : Infinity and NaN.

<script>
console.log(typeof(Infinity)) //Number
console.log(typeof(NaN)) //Number
</script>

1. Infinity

   A JavaScript expression can return Infinity or -Infinity value as a result. For example, when you divide a number by 0 (zero), it will return Infinity

   <script>
   console.log(5/0); //Infinity
   console.log(-5/0); //-Infinity
   </script>
   

2. NaN - Not a Number

   A JavaScript expression can return NaN value as a result. For example, when you divide a string by a number, it will return NaN

   <script>
   console.log("Hello"/4); //NaN
   console.log("Hello"-4); //NaN
   </script>
   

Note

When you will use + operator with in your JavaScript expression and your expression have string values, it will work as concatenation operator and JavaScript expression will not return NaN.

<script>
console.log("Hello"+4); //Hello4
</script>

Numbers As Objects

You can also defined numbers as objects with the help of new keyword. Using number as an object is not recommended since they slow down execution speed.

<script>
var x = 4; //number
var y = new Number(4); //object
console.log(typeof(x)) //number
console.log(typeof(y)) //object
</script>

What do you think?

I hope, now you have better understanding of javascript numbers. I would like to have feedback from my blog readers. Your valuable feedback, question, or comments about this article are always welcome.