float() Function in Python

Python float() Function

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.