Data Type Range
TLDR: The data type range refers to the minimum and maximum values that a specific data type can represent. Determined by the number of bits allocated and whether the data type is a signed data type or an unsigned data type, this range influences the scope of operations and the numeric precision available for calculations. For example, a 32-bit signed integer in Java can store values from -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647, while an unsigned 32-bit integer can store values from 0 to 4,294,967,295.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_type
In floating-point data types, the range is more complex because it involves both the exponent and the significand, as defined by the IEEE 754 standard. Single-precision (32-bit) and double-precision (64-bit) formats provide different ranges and precision levels. A 32-bit float can represent approximately ±3.4 × 10^38, while a 64-bit double can represent approximately ±1.8 × 10^308. These ranges are critical for scientific computations, where large or highly precise values are required.
https://standards.ieee.org/standard/754-2019.html
Understanding the data type range is essential for preventing overflow, preventing underflow, and truncation errors in programs. In Java, Java constants like `Java Integer.MAX_VALUE` and `Java Double.MAX_VALUE` help developers determine these limits programmatically. For applications that exceed native ranges, classes like `Java BigInteger` or `Java BigDecimal` provide arbitrary precision, ensuring correctness in high-precision arithmetic. Proper selection and management of data type range are crucial for optimizing performance and ensuring software reliability.
https://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/java/nutsandbolts/datatypes.html