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Most languages use IEEE754 doubles as their basic data type for rational numbers (C and C++ via double , Python via float ). In addition to representing floating point values, IEEE 754 also allows representation of two other numeric data types.
The IEEE 754 standard specifies two precisions for floating-point numbers. Single precision numbers have 32 bits − 1 for the sign, 8 for the exponent, and 23 for the significand. The significand also includes an implied 1 to the left of its radix point.
There are three binary floating-point basic formats (encoded with 32, 64 or 128 bits) and two decimal floating-point basic formats (encoded with 64 or 128 bits). The binary32 and binary64 formats are the single and double formats of IEEE 754-1985 respectively.
Actually you have an easier way to achieve this in C++. From the C++ standard 18.2.1.1 the class numeric_limits exists within std. In order to access said static member you simply do this:
std::numeric_limits<double>::is_iec559;
Or:
std::numeric_limits<float>::is_iec559;
Which should return true if IEEE 754 is in use, false otherwise.
As an alternative method, the second part of Adam's answer should do it also for C++.
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