Homonym: Floats (Buoyancy)
A float is a data type in programming that represents numbers with decimal points. It allows for more precise calculations than integers, which are whole numbers. Floats are commonly used in applications that require fractional values, such as financial calculations or scientific measurements.
In many programming languages, floats can be defined using a specific syntax, often involving a decimal point or scientific notation. For example, the number 3.14 or 2.5e3 (which represents 2500) are both floats. Understanding how to work with floats is essential for developers when performing arithmetic operations or handling real-world data.