0405. What three components must we keep track-of in storing real numbers (floats)? Illustrate the components using the real number -809.7032.

-809.7032 = -0.8097032 E3

The three components we need to consider are the sign (-), the mantissa (the significant digits following to the right of the decimal point – in this case 8097032) and the characteristic of the exponent (how many places to the right (or left) we must move the decimal point)