# Definition of 'significand'

**URL:** <https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/definition-of-significand/8109>\
**Category:** Language enhancement\
**Created:** [May 29, 2024, 11:41pm UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/definition-of-significand/8109 "2024-05-29T23:41:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Harper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@Harper](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/Harper)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2024, 11:41pm UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/definition-of-significand/8109/1 "2024-05-29T23:41:29Z")

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The F2023 definition of `significand` means that a real literal constant may have no significand, because 7.4.3.2 contains both R715 and Note 3.

```auto
R715 significand is digit-string . [digit-string]
                 or . digit-string

```

Note 3 gives `3E4` as an example of a signed real literal constant.

Am I the only person who finds that odd and thinks that something ought to be done about it?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DavidB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@DavidB](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/DavidB)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2024, 12:25am UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/definition-of-significand/8109/2 "2024-05-30T00:25:55Z")

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> [@Harper](#):
>
> Am I the only person who finds that odd

I don’t find it odd. R714 allows a real-literal-constant without a significand

```auto
R714 real-literal-constant is significand [exponent-letter exponent] [_ kind-param]
         or digit-string exponent-letter exponent [_ kind-param]

```

You can express the real constant 2.0 in many way, including  
2.0  
2.  
2e0  
2.e0  
2.0e0  
.2e1

Some choices are clearer than others.