The float()
function in Python is used to convert a number or a string representing a number into a floating-point number. It can be used to convert integers, decimals, or even scientific notation into their corresponding float values.
Here's the basic syntax of the float()
function:
float([x])
The optional parameter x
represents the value that you want to convert into a float. It can be an integer, a string, or any other valid numeric expression.
Here are a few examples to demonstrate the usage of the float()
function:
number = float(10)
print(number) # Output: 10.0
pi = float('3.14159')
print(pi) # Output: 3.14159
scientific_notation = float('2.5e-3')
print(scientific_notation) # Output: 0.0025
In the first example, the integer value 10
is converted to a float, resulting in 10.0
. In the second example, the string '3.14159'
is converted to a float, resulting in 3.14159
. Finally, in the third example, the string '2.5e-3'
(which represents scientific notation) is converted to a float, resulting in 0.0025
.
It's important to note that if the provided value cannot be converted to a float (e.g. if it contains characters that are not numeric), a ValueError
will be raised. Therefore, it's a good practice to handle potential exceptions when using the float()
function.