Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Rounding errors are inaccuracies that occur when representing real numbers with finite precision. These errors happen because some numbers cannot be precisely represented using binary floating-point representation.
Related terms
Precision: Precision refers to the level of detail or accuracy in which values are represented or measured.
Floating-point Representation: Floating-point representation is a method used by computers to represent real numbers as an approximation using scientific notation.
Truncation Error: Truncation error is an error that occurs when approximating a mathematical function or expression by discarding some part of it.