Fix float precision with decimal numbers

Question

a = 1

for x in range(5):
    a += 0.1
    print(a)

This is the result:

1.1
1.2000000000000002
1.3000000000000003
1.4000000000000004
1.         


        

Answer 1

can i set the precision of a variable before setting the value?

Use the decimal module which, unlike float(), offers arbitrary precision and can represent decimal numbers exactly:

>>> from decimal import Decimal, getcontext
>>> 
>>> getcontext().prec = 5
>>> 
>>> a = Decimal(1)
>>> 
>>> for x in range(5):
...     a += Decimal(0.1)
...     print(a)
... 
1.1000
1.2000
1.3000
1.4000
1.5000