From: John Beckett 

"Geo"  wrote in message
news::
> > The reasoning is that computer hardware is capable of integer operations
> > AND floating point operations, and they are different.
>
> Are they done in different parts of the cpu?

Yes. Using historic terminology, integer arithmetic is performed in the
ALU, and floating point arithmetic is performed in the FPU (or in software
if using some obsolete systems).

ALU = arithmetic/logic unit
FPU = floating point unit (was an optional chip (80387) years ago)

On a Pentium, integer operations use 32 bits for each number, using the
normal binary code. Floating point operations use 80(?)  bits for each
number, using some standard method of representing floating point values (a
mantissa and an exponent).

John

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