a computer program performs the operation 2 divided by 3 and represents the result as the value 0 point 6 6 6 6 6 6 7. which of the following best explains this result?
A computer program performs the operation 2 divided by 3 and represents the result as the value 0.666667, which of the following best explains this result?
Answer:
When a computer program performs the division operation 2 divided by 3 and displays the result as 0.666667, it is due to the way computers handle and display floating-point numbers. In this case, the result is a recurring decimal, where the sequence of digits repeats indefinitely.
Computers use a finite number of binary digits (bits) to represent real numbers. This limited precision can cause rounding errors in calculations involving irrational numbers or recurring decimals. When the computer converts the result of 2 divided by 3 into a floating-point representation, it approximates the recurring decimal 0.666667.
In the binary system used by computers, converting the decimal fraction 0.666667 into binary may introduce a small error due to the finite precision of the representation. Therefore, the computer displays the closest approximated value, which in this case is 0.666667.
In conclusion, the way computers handle floating-point arithmetic and the limited precision of binary representation can lead to small deviations in the displayed values of calculations involving recurring decimals like 2 divided by 3.