Re: names for numbers

[Jim Thomas <jwthomas@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Here's a proposal for Clause 3 definitions of terms related to formats
and numbers.

------------
basic format: One of the five sets of floating-point data
representations, three binary and two decimal, whose encodings are
specified by this standard.

floating-point datum: A finite or infinite number or a nonnumber symbol
(NaN) that is representable in a floating-point format. In this
standard, a floating-point datum is not always distinguished from its
format representation or encoding.

floating-point number: A finite or infinite number that is representable
in a floating-point format. A floating-point datum that is not a NaN.
Infinite floating-point numbers (floating-point infinities) are signed.

floating-point representation: An unencoded member of a floating-point
format, representing a finite number, a signed infinity, or a quiet or
signaling NaN. A representation of a finite number has three components:
a sign, an exponent, and a significand; it's numerical value is the
signed product of its significand and its radix raised to the power of
its exponent.

format: A set of representations of numerical values and symbols,
perhaps accompanied by an encoding, implemented in conformance with this
standard.

NaN: Not a Number, a symbolic floating-point datum. There are two types
of NaN representations: quiet and signaling. Quiet NaNs propagate
through most operations without signaling exceptions, while in most
operations signaling NaNs signal the invalid operation exception when
they appear as operands.
------------

Terms like finite and nonzero do not need (and best not have)
definitions provided we attach no more meaning to them than is commonly
understood and we qualify them wherever they may be ambiguous.

-Jim