Floating point overflow and underflow
Overflow occurs when result exceeds maximum representable magnitude. Underflow occurs when result is smaller than minimum positive magnitude. Both represent data representation limits.
Real World
The 1996 Ariane 5 rocket exploded 37 seconds after launch because a 64-bit floating point velocity value overflowed when converted to a 16-bit integer, crashing the guidance system.
Exam Focus
Define overflow AND underflow separately — examiners award distinct marks for each, and students often only explain one.
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