By default, a real numeric literal on the right-hand side of the assignment operator is treated as double. Therefore, to initialize a float variable, use the suffix f or F, like this:

        float x = 3.5F;

If you do not use the suffix in the previous declaration, you will get a compilation error because you are attempting to store a double value into a float variable.

You can mix numeric integral types and floating-point types in an expression. In this case, the integral types are converted to floating-point types. The evaluation of the expression is performed according to the following rules:

• If one of the floating-point types is double, the expression evaluates to double or bool in the case of relational or Boolean expressions.

• If there is no double type in the expression, the expression evaluates to float or bool in the case of relational or Boolean expressions.

A floating-point expression can contain the following sets of values:

• Positive and negative zero

• Positive and negative infinity

• Not-a-Number value (NaN)

• The finite set of nonzero values

For more information on these values, refer to IEEE Standard for Binary Floating-Point Arithmetic, available on the Web site http://www.ieee.org/.

In the following example, an int, a short, and a float are included in a mathematical expression giving a float result. Notice that there is no double in the expression.

// keyword_float.cs
// Mixing types in expressions
using System;
class MixedTypes 
{
    static void Main() 
    {
        int x = 3;
        float y = 4.5f;
        short z = 5;
        Console.WriteLine("The result is {0}", x * y / z); 
    }
}

The result is 2.7

For more information, see the following sections in the C# Language Specification:

• 4.1.6 Floating Point Types

• 6.2.1 Explicit Numeric Conversions

Reference

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