What is decimal floating point number in SAP BC-ABA - ABAP Runtime Environment?

SAP Term: decimal floating point number

• Component: BC-ABA

• Component Name: ABAP Runtime Environment

• Description: A numeric data type for decimally saving numbers with mantissa and exponents or a number saved in this way. The associated predefined ABAP types are decfloat16 and decfloat34. The internal representation follows the standard IEEE-754-2008, with decimal numbers with 16 or 34 decimal places being represented precisely in the mantissa. A decimal floating point number has an additional scaling property.

Smart SAP Assistant

• Key Concepts: 
  A decimal floating point number is a data type used in the ABAP Runtime Environment of SAP. It is a number with a decimal point that can be used to represent real numbers, such as currency values or measurements. It is stored in memory as a 32-bit or 64-bit value, depending on the system configuration. 
  
  How to use it: 
  Decimal floating point numbers can be used in ABAP programs to store and manipulate real numbers. They are declared using the DATA statement and can be manipulated using arithmetic operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. They can also be compared using comparison operators such as “=”, “<”, and “>”. 
  
  Tips & Tricks: 
  When declaring a decimal floating point number, it is important to specify the number of decimal places that should be used. This will ensure that the number is stored accurately and that calculations are performed correctly. It is also important to note that decimal floating point numbers are not exact representations of real numbers and may suffer from rounding errors when performing calculations. 
  
  Related Information: 
  For more information on decimal floating point numbers in SAP, please refer to the official SAP documentation at https://help.sap.com/doc/abapdocu_751_index_htm/7.51/en-US/abenfloating_point_numbers.htm