How to Use the Python float() Function

In this article, you will learn how to use the Python float() function.

Python float() Function

The float() function in Python is used to convert a given number or a string that represents a number to a floating-point number.

Syntax:

The basic syntax of the float() function is as follows:

float([x])

Parameters:

x is the number or string that you want to convert to a floating-point number. The float() function returns the floating-point representation of the input number or string.

Example:

Here are some examples of how to use the float() function in Python:

Convert an integer to a floating-point number:

num_int = 10
num_float = float(num_int)
print(num_float)  # Output: 10.0

Convert a string to a floating-point number:

num_str = "3.14"
num_float = float(num_str)
print(num_float)  # Output: 3.14

Convert a string with scientific notation to a floating-point number:

num_str = "1.23e-4"
num_float = float(num_str)
print(num_float)  # Output: 0.000123

It is important to note that the float() function can raise a ValueError exception if the input string is not a valid representation of a floating-point number. For example:

num_str = "abc"
num_float = float(num_str)  # Raises ValueError: could not convert string to float: 'abc'

So, be sure to handle exceptions appropriately if you are using the float() function with user input.