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A floating-point number ''a'' can be represented by two numbers ''m'' and ''e'', such that ''a = m × b<sup>e</sup>''.
In any such system we pick a base ''b'' (called the ''base'' of numeration, also the ''[[radix]]'') and a precision ''p'' (how many digits to store).
''m'' (which is called the ''[[significand]]'' or, informally, ''mantissa'') is a ''p'' digit number of the form ±d'''.'''ddd...ddd (each digit being an integer between 0 and ''b''−1 inclusive). If the leading digit of ''m'' is non-zero then the number is said to be '''normalized'''. Some descriptions use a separate sign bit (''s'', which represents −1 or +1) and require ''m'' to be positive.
''e'' is called the ''exponent''.
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