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Is there a fancy name for the "left side" and "right side" of a decimal number?

(That is, the pre-decimal part and the post-decimal part.)

Martin Sleziak
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Ben
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3 Answers3

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We really do use "integer part" and "fractional part" respectively: see Wikipedia, e.g., on decimal fractions.

The integer part, or integral part of a decimal number is the part to the left of the decimal separator. (See also truncation.) The part from the decimal separator to the right is the fractional part.

amWhy
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  • Ahh yes perfect. That's exactly what I was looking for. Will accept at some point. – Ben Jul 16 '13 at 00:31
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    I thought your question was fine. Some use "radix" to designate the decimal separator. A decimal fraction refers to a fraction whose denominator is a power of ten. – amWhy Jul 16 '13 at 00:35
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    Just to clarify, radix is the actual dot? Learning all sorts of new words today, cheers. – Ben Jul 16 '13 at 00:38
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    Yes...radix would be the "dot"! ;-) – amWhy Jul 16 '13 at 00:39
  • Yes it's perfect ! –  Apr 19 '14 at 09:04
  • Confirmed this years later with some dev docs: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/system.math.truncate?view=netframework-4.8 They refer to "integral" and "fractional". – Ben Nov 11 '19 at 21:35
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    @Ben "Just to clarify, radix is the actual dot?" The radix is the base of the number system. Calling the dot a "radix" is just wrong. Calling it the "radix point" is correct (it's not a dot in all language locales). – Jim Balter Sep 02 '20 at 04:00
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In normal use, "integer part" and "fractional part" does reign supreme.

However if the decimal is used in the context of logarithms, the terms you want are "characteristic" and "mantissa". A generation ago, when sliderules were common, these terms were better known.

vadim123
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  • whistle That's the sort of fancypants thing I was expecting, something that's fun to say, like "Mantissa". I think I may bow to the supreme non-slideruler, though. – Ben Jul 16 '13 at 00:36
  • By the way, I assume the characteristic is the integer part? – Ben Jul 16 '13 at 00:37
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    @Steve, that's right; follow the link I gave for more details. – vadim123 Jul 16 '13 at 04:35
  • In computer science floating-point numbers have the sign, the exponent, and the mantissa. – Zamicol Apr 05 '23 at 15:28
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The left side of the decimal is called whole number and the right side of the decimal is known as decimal.

Pratham Dawar
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