How to Convert a Float to Binary in Python

Learn how to convert a floating-point number to its binary representation in Python. This guide provides step-by-step instructions to help you perform this conversion efficiently in your Python code.
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When working with floating-point numbers in Python, you might need to convert them to their binary representation for various purposes such as bitwise operations, low-level manipulation, or interfacing with hardware. Converting a float to binary in Python involves several steps, but it can be done effectively using built-in functions and libraries.

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to convert a float to binary in Python:

Step 1: Convert Float to IEEE 754 Representation

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

In this code snippet:

f'{b:08b}' formats each byte of the packed data as an 8-bit binary string.

Step 2: Handle Sign, Exponent, and Mantissa
The IEEE 754 format consists of three parts: sign bit, exponent, and mantissa (also known as fraction). After packing the float, you need to extract these components to get the binary representation.

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Here:

packed[0] >> 7 extracts the sign bit by shifting the first byte 7 bits to the right.

Exponent and mantissa are extracted by masking and shifting bytes accordingly.

Step 3: Combine Components
Finally, combine the sign bit, exponent, and mantissa to get the complete binary representation of the float.

Usage Example:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This process provides you with a binary representation of the float according to the IEEE 754 standard.

Converting floats to binary in Python enables you to work with their binary representation, allowing for low-level manipulations and interfacing with systems that require binary input or output.