Microsoft KB Archive/328301

= PRB: Floating Point Values Do Not Seem Accurate =

Article ID: 328301

Article Last Modified on 5/23/2003

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft BizTalk Server 2000 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft BizTalk Server 2000 Service Pack 1
 * Microsoft BizTalk Server 2000 Service Pack 1a
 * Microsoft BizTalk Server 2000 Service Pack 2
 * Microsoft BizTalk Server 2002 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q328301



SYMPTOMS
When you use a built-in mathematical functoid in the BizTalk Mapper tool to return a float value, the floating point value that is returned may not seem to be accurate.



CAUSE
A binary floating-point system can represent only a finite number of floating-point values in exact form. All other values must be approximated by the closest representable value. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE) standard specifies the method for rounding values to the closest representable value, and the returns from the BizTalk Mapper mathematical functoid comply with the standard.



RESOLUTION
To work around this problem, write a custom BizTalk Server script function to do any mathematical calculations that require a consistent and specific degree of precision.



STATUS
This behavior is by design.

