Arithmetic overflow
The term arithmetic overflow or simply overflow has the following meanings.
- In a computer, the condition that occurs when a calculation produces a result that is greater in magnitude than that which a given register or storage location can store or represent.
- In a computer, the amount by which a calculated value is greater tha
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Division by zero is not a form of arithmetic overflow. Mathematically, division by zero within reals is explicitly undefined; it is not that the value is too large but rather that it has no value.
An unhandled arithmetic overflow was the primary cause of the crash of Ariane 5 Flight 501.
See also
- IEEE 754
- Integer overflow
- Arithmetic underflow
- Infinity (note that infinity as a value does not indicate that overflow has occurred; infinity is a value just like 10, 5.5, etc., but an infinity is often used as replacement value when a floating point overflow occurs)