Provides access to members that format scientific numbers.
Description
The members in the IScientificNumberFormatinterface define how the ValueToString method in the associated INumberFormat****interface formats numbers.
ScientificFormatexpresses numbers as a power of 10. For example, the value 1500scientifically formatted to 3 significant digits is the expression 1.50e+003, where the number after 'e' is the power of 10. The meaning of this expression is 1.50 X 10^3. The number of digits in the power of 10 expression (+003) cannot be changed and is always a plus or minus sign and 3 digits.
All digits in a scientific format expression are significant. Set the DecimalPlacesproperty to the number of desired significant digits minus 1. For example, to express the value 1to 3 significant digits (1.00e+000), set DecimalPlacesto 2.
When To Use
Use this interface when you want to express numbers in a scientific format, for example, to create a table of empirical values.
Members
Name | Description | |
---|---|---|
DecimalPlaces | The number of decimal digits in a scientifically-formatted number. |
IScientificNumberFormat.DecimalPlaces Property
The number of decimal digits in a scientifically-formatted number.
Public Property DecimalPlaces As Integer
public int DecimalPlaces {get; set;}
Description
The DecimalPlaces property sets or returns a long representing the number of decimals to show in the mantissa. Since all digits in a scientific format expression are significant, set the DecimalPlaces property to the number of desired significant digits minus 1. For example, to express the value 1 to 3 significant digits (1.00e+000), set DecimalPlaces to 2. The default value is 6.
Classes that implement IScientificNumberFormat
Classes | Description |
---|---|
ScientificFormat | An object for formatting numbers in a scientific format. |
Remarks
The power behind the scientific format is a way of expressing significant zeros. For example, a 1000 yard distance measured with a bicycle odometer may only be accurate to the nearest 10th mile (176 yards). In this case, 1000 is only significant to one place and should be expressed as 1 X 10^3. On the other hand, you may know the measurement is precise to the last zero (perhaps you carefully measured this distance with a yardstick); you would then want to express the measurement as 1.000 X 10^3.