Difference between revisions of "Floor function"

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The greatest integer function, also known as the '''floor function''', gives the greatest integer less than or equal to its argument.  The floor of <math>x</math> is usually denoted by <math>\lfloor x \rfloor</math> or <math>[x]</math>.  Note that this function is ''not'' the same as rounding or "dropping everything after the decimal point" in general.
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The greatest integer function, also known as the '''floor function''', gives the greatest integer less than or equal to its argument.  The floor of <math>x</math> is usually denoted by <math>\lfloor x \rfloor</math> or <math>[x]</math>.  The action of this function is the same as "rounding down."  On a [[positive]] argument, this function is the same as "dropping everything after the decimal point," but this is ''not'' true for negative values.
  
 
For example:
 
For example:

Revision as of 11:51, 29 June 2006

The greatest integer function, also known as the floor function, gives the greatest integer less than or equal to its argument. The floor of $x$ is usually denoted by $\lfloor x \rfloor$ or $[x]$. The action of this function is the same as "rounding down." On a positive argument, this function is the same as "dropping everything after the decimal point," but this is not true for negative values.

For example:

  • $\lfloor 3.14 \rfloor = 3$
  • $\lfloor 5 \rfloor = 5$
  • $\lfloor -3.2 \rfloor = -4$

See Also