JavaScript Numbers

Numbers in JavaScript are a fundamental data type used to represent numeric values. JavaScript numbers are double-precision 64-bit binary format IEEE 754 values. This means they are floating-point numbers, and there is only one number type in JavaScript for both integers and floating-point numbers.

Concept and Use Cases

Definition: A number in JavaScript is an immutable numeric data type used to perform arithmetic operations. JavaScript numbers can be integers, floating-point numbers, and special numeric values like Infinity, -Infinity, and NaN (Not-a-Number).

Common Use Cases:

• Performing arithmetic calculations.
• Representing and manipulating date and time.
• Working with user input that involves numeric data.
• Implementing algorithms that require numerical computation.

When to Use

• When performing mathematical calculations.
• When working with any form of numerical data.
• When needing to represent and manipulate dates and times.

Time and Space Complexity

Time Complexity:

• Arithmetic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division): O(1)
• Parsing numbers from strings: O(n) (where n is the length of the string)
• Converting numbers to strings: O(n) (where n is the number of digits)

Space Complexity:

• Depends on the representation of the number. Typically, it's constant space for individual numbers.

Number Operations and Methods

Creating Numbers

Example:

let integer = 42;
let float = 3.14;
let negative = -1;
let scientific = 1.23e5;  // 123000
let hex = 0xff;  // 255

Basic Arithmetic

Example:

let a = 10;
let b = 3;
console.log(a + b);  // Output: 13
console.log(a - b);  // Output: 7
console.log(a * b);  // Output: 30
console.log(a / b);  // Output: 3.3333333333333335
console.log(a % b);  // Output: 1

Math Object Methods

Example:

console.log(Math.PI);  // Output: 3.141592653589793
console.log(Math.E);  // Output: 2.718281828459045

console.log(Math.abs(-10));  // Output: 10
console.log(Math.pow(2, 3));  // Output: 8
console.log(Math.sqrt(16));  // Output: 4
console.log(Math.round(4.6));  // Output: 5
console.log(Math.ceil(4.2));  // Output: 5
console.log(Math.floor(4.8));  // Output: 4
console.log(Math.min(1, 2, 3));  // Output: 1
console.log(Math.max(1, 2, 3));  // Output: 3
console.log(Math.random());  // Output: Random number between 0 and 1

Special Numeric Values

Example:

console.log(Infinity);  // Output: Infinity
console.log(-Infinity);  // Output: -Infinity
console.log(NaN);  // Output: NaN
console.log(isNaN(NaN));  // Output: true
console.log(isFinite(42));  // Output: true
console.log(isFinite(Infinity));  // Output: false

Type Conversion

Example:

let str = '123';
let num = Number(str);
console.log(num);  // Output: 123

let strFloat = '123.45';
let floatNum = parseFloat(strFloat);
console.log(floatNum);  // Output: 123.45

let strInt = '123.45';
let intNum = parseInt(strInt);
console.log(intNum);  // Output: 123

Number Formatting

Example:

let num = 12345.6789;
console.log(num.toFixed(2));  // Output: '12345.68'
console.log(num.toPrecision(5));  // Output: '12346'
console.log(num.toExponential(2));  // Output: '1.23e+4'
console.log(num.toLocaleString());  // Output: '12,345.679' (varies by locale)

Practical Tips and Tricks

• Using Math.round for Rounding: When you need to round a number to the nearest integer.

  Example:

  JavaScriptTypeScript

  
  let num = 4.5;
  console.log(Math.round(num));  // Output: 5
  

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• Using Math.ceil for Rounding Up: When you need to round a number up to the nearest integer.

  Example:

  JavaScriptTypeScript

  
  let num = 4.1;
  console.log(Math.ceil(num));  // Output: 5
  

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• Using Math.trunc for Truncating: When you need to remove the fractional part of a number, effectively rounding towards zero.

  Example:

  JavaScriptTypeScript

  
  let num = 4.9;
  console.log(Math.trunc(num));  // Output: 4
  
  let numNegative = -4.9;
  console.log(Math.trunc(numNegative));  // Output: -4
  

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• Generating Random Integers: Use Math.random in combination with Math.floor to generate random integers within a specific range.

  Example:

  JavaScriptTypeScript

  
  function getRandomInt(min, max) {
      return Math.floor(Math.random() * (max - min + 1)) + min;
  }
  
  console.log(getRandomInt(1, 10));  // Output: Random integer between 1 and 10
  

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• Precision Issues with Floating-Point Arithmetic: Be aware of precision issues when working with floating-point numbers.

  Example:

  JavaScriptTypeScript

  
  let a = 0.1;
  let b = 0.2;
  console.log(a + b);  // Output: 0.30000000000000004
  

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• Avoiding parseInt with Leading Zeros: parseInt interprets leading zeros as octal numbers in some cases. Use the radix parameter. Example:

  JavaScriptTypeScript

  
  console.log(parseInt('010'));  // Output: 10 (modern JavaScript)
  console.log(parseInt('010', 10));  // Output: 10 (explicit base 10)
  

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Common Gotchas

• NaN Propagation: Any arithmetic operation with NaN results in NaN.

  Example:

  JavaScriptTypeScript

  
  let result = NaN + 5;
  console.log(result);  // Output: NaN
  

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• Precision Errors: Floating-point arithmetic can lead to precision errors.

  Example:

  JavaScriptTypeScript

  
  console.log(0.1 + 0.2 === 0.3);  // Output: false
  

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• Type Coercion: JavaScript implicitly converts types in some cases, which can lead to unexpected results.

  Example:

  JavaScriptTypeScript

  
  console.log('5' - 3);  // Output: 2
  console.log('5' + 3);  // Output: '53'
  

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• Infinity and Division by Zero: Dividing by zero results in Infinity or -Infinity.

  Example:

  JavaScriptTypeScript

  
  console.log(1 / 0);  // Output: Infinity
  console.log(-1 / 0);  // Output: -Infinity
  

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Advanced Topics

BigInt

BigInt is a special numeric type that provides support for integers of arbitrary length. It can be used when integers larger than 2^53 - 1 are needed.

Example:

let bigInt = 1234567890123456789012345678901234567890n;
console.log(bigInt);  // Output: 1234567890123456789012345678901234567890n

let anotherBigInt = BigInt('1234567890123456789012345678901234567890');
console.log(anotherBigInt);  // Output: 1234567890123456789012345678901234567890n

let sum = bigInt + anotherBigInt;
console.log(sum);  // Output: 2469135780246913578024691357802469135780n

Binary, Octal, and Hexadecimal Literals

JavaScript supports binary (0b), octal (0o), and hexadecimal (0x) literals for easier representation of these bases.

Example:

let binary = 0b1010;  // 10
let octal = 0o12;  // 10
let hex = 0xA;  // 10
console.log(binary, octal, hex);  // Output: 10 10 10

Number Object Methods

JavaScript provides several useful methods for the Number object.

Example:

console.log(Number.isFinite(123));  // Output: true
console.log(Number.isNaN(NaN));  // Output: true
console.log(Number.isInteger(123.4));  // Output: false
console.log(Number.parseFloat('123.45'));  // Output: 123.45
console.log(Number.parseInt('123.45'));  // Output: 123

Handling Precision with toFixed and toPrecision

Example:

let num = 123.456;
console.log(num.toFixed(2));  // Output: '123.46'
console.log(num.toPrecision(4));  // Output: '123.5'

Number Algorithms

Below are some common number algorithms you should be familiar with:

Finding the Greatest Common Divisor (GCD)

The GCD of two numbers is the largest number that divides both of them without leaving a remainder.

Example:

function gcd(a, b) {
    while (b !== 0) {
        let temp = b;
        b = a % b;
        a = temp;
    }
    return a;
}

console.log(gcd(48, 18));  // Output: 6

Prime Number Check

A prime number check determines if a number is a prime, which means it is greater than 1 and has no divisors other than 1 and itself.

Example:

function isPrime(num) {
    if (num <= 1) return false;
    if (num <= 3) return true;
    if (num % 2 === 0 || num % 3 === 0) return false;

    for (let i = 5; i * i <= num; i += 6) {
        if (num % i === 0 || num % (i + 2) === 0) return false;
    }

    return true;
}

console.log(isPrime(11));  // Output: true
console.log(isPrime(15));  // Output: false

Generating Fibonacci Numbers

Generating Fibonacci numbers involves creating a sequence where each number is the sum of the two preceding ones.

Example:

function fibonacci(n) {
    if (n <= 1) return n;
    let fib = [0, 1];
    for (let i = 2; i <= n; i++) {
        fib[i] = fib[i - 1] + fib[i - 2];
    }
    return fib[n];
}

console.log(fibonacci(10));  // Output: 55

Factorial Calculation

Calculating the factorial of a number involves multiplying the number by all positive integers less than it.

Example:

function factorial(n) {
    if (n === 0 || n === 1) return 1;
    return n * factorial(n - 1);
}

console.log(factorial(5));  // Output: 120

Interview Tips and Tricks

• Understand Floating-Point Arithmetic: Be aware of precision issues with floating-point numbers and know how to handle them.

• Practice Type Conversion: Be comfortable with converting between strings and numbers, and understand the nuances of parseInt, parseFloat, and Number.

• Master Common Algorithms: Familiarize yourself with common number algorithms such as GCD, prime checking, Fibonacci generation, and factorial calculation. These are frequently asked in interviews.

• Edge Cases: Always consider edge cases such as very large numbers, very small numbers, and special values like NaN, Infinity, and -Infinity.

Common Mistakes

• Ignoring Precision Issues: Overlooking precision problems in floating-point arithmetic can lead to incorrect results.

• Type Coercion Pitfalls: Misunderstanding JavaScript's type coercion rules can result in unexpected behavior.

• Using parseInt Without Radix: Forgetting to specify the radix for parseInt can cause problems with leading zeros.

• Assuming All Numbers Are Safe Integers: JavaScript numbers can only safely represent integers in the range of -(2^53 - 1) to (2^53 - 1). Use BigInt for larger integers.

By mastering JavaScript numbers and understanding their intricacies, you will be well-equipped to handle a variety of interview questions and real-world problems involving numerical computations. Regular practice and a solid grasp of advanced topics will deepen your understanding and improve your problem-solving skills.

Practice Problems