Name

xs:float

Synopsis

The xs:float type represents four-byte, binary floating-point numbers in IEEE-754 format, such as is the float type in Java and many C compilers. This includes the special values INF for infinity and NaN for not a number, used for the results of unconventional operations like dividing by zero and taking the square root of a negative number. Because not all binary numbers can be precisely represented by decimal numbers, it is possible that two different decimal representations in the lexical space map to the same value (and vice versa). In this case, the closest approximation of the IEEE-754 value is chosen. These are all legal values of type xs:float:

  • 3.1415292

  • -03.1415292

  • 6.022E23

  • 127E-13

  • +2.998E+10

  • -128e12

  • 0.0

  • INF

  • NaN

  • -INF

Constraining facets that apply to xs:float are minInclusive, maxInclusive, minExclusive, maxExclusive, pattern, enumeration, and whiteSpace.

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