Jan started a FP FAQ and listed it in 'new FAQ' and I saw the need for the below.

Now, however, I realize that the way I write it is almost impossible for a novif=ce to understand and thus I solicit edits

Erik


The '51 is a microprocessor and not a microcontroller that fact and the fact it is an 8 bit device makes floting poinbg slow and core intensive.

The '51 was never intended as a 'mathematical machine' but rather a process controller.

Many, many applications where the novice 'automatically' goes for a floating point package can be handled much more efficiently and faster by fixed point.

A variant of floting point that, as far as I know, does not have a name is "fixed math with floting point" which fit the '51 a a glove.

Now what the heck is that you may ask. I will illustarte with an example.

1,23 + 0.17 seems like a natural app for a standard slow and tedious 'standard' FP operation, but what is wrong with just doing 123+17 and inserting a decimal point onb the display, the user will not know the differennce.