Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated August 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated August 2025
Definition
An overflow error occurs when a computer program or system tries to store a value that is too large to be represented within the available memory or data type. This can lead to unexpected and incorrect results.
Underflow Error: An underflow error occurs when a computer program or system tries to store a value that is too small (close to zero) for the available memory or data type.
A data type defines the kind of values that can be stored and manipulated in a programming language. Different data types have different ranges and limitations.
Integer Overflow: Integer overflow specifically refers to an overflow error that occurs when trying to store an integer value outside the range defined by its data type.