What's the difference between a single precision and double precision floating point operation?

Question

What is the difference between a single precision floating point operation and double precision floating operation?

I\'m especially interested in practical terms in

Answer 1

As to the question "Can the ps3 and xbxo 360 pull off double precision floating point operations or only single precision and in generel use is the double precision capabilities made use of (if they exist?)."

I believe that both platforms are incapable of double floating point. The original Cell processor only had 32 bit floats, same with the ATI hardware which the XBox 360 is based on (R600). The Cell got double floating point support later on, but I'm pretty sure the PS3 doesn't use that chippery.