# Why Float::MIN? is positive

**URL:** https://rubytalk.org/t/why-float-min-is-positive/17228
**Category:** ruby-talk
**Created:** [28 March 2005 20:14 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/why-float-min-is-positive/17228 "2005-03-28T20:14:45Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![meruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@meruby](https://rubytalk.org/u/meruby)
#### Post date: [28 March 2005 20:14 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/why-float-min-is-positive/17228/1 "2005-03-28T20:14:45Z")

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Shouldn't Float::MIN = -Float::MIN?

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### Author: ![meruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@meruby](https://rubytalk.org/u/meruby)
#### Post date: [28 March 2005 20:34 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/why-float-min-is-positive/17228/2 "2005-03-28T20:34:46Z")

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Sorry for typo in previouse post:  
Shouldn't Float::MIN = -Float::MAX

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### Author: ![Charles\_Mills1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Charles\_Mills1](https://rubytalk.org/u/Charles_Mills1)
#### Post date: [28 March 2005 22:09 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/why-float-min-is-positive/17228/3 "2005-03-28T22:09:45Z")

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meruby@gmail.com wrote:

> Sorry for typo in previouse post:  
> Shouldn't Float::MIN = -Float::MAX

Float::MIN is the smallest number \> 0 that can be represented by a  
Float. Usefull I guess if you need to represent really small values.

Float objects are basically a wrapper around a C double.

on my system it is:

irb(main):001:0\> Float::MIN  
=\> 2.2250738585072e-308

which is in the float.h header as  
#define \_\_DBL\_MIN\_\_ 2.2250738585072014e-308

-Charlie