JavaScript Number Methods
JavaScript Number Methods
These number methods can be used on all JavaScript numbers:
Method | Description |
---|---|
toString() | Returns a number as a string |
toExponential() | Returns a number written in exponential notation |
toFixed() | Returns a number written with a number of decimals |
toPrecision() | Returns a number written with a specified length |
ValueOf() | Returns a number as a number |
The toString() Method
The toString()
method returns a number as a string.
All number methods can be used on any type of numbers (literals, variables, or expressions):
The toExponential() Method
toExponential()
returns a string, with a number rounded and written using exponential notation.
A parameter defines the number of characters behind the decimal point:
Example
let x = 9.656;
x.toExponential(2);
x.toExponential(4);
x.toExponential(6);
Try
it Yourself »
The parameter is optional. If you don't specify it, JavaScript will not round the number.
The toFixed() Method
toFixed()
returns a string, with the number
written with a specified number of
decimals:
toFixed(2)
is perfect for working with money.
The toPrecision() Method
toPrecision()
returns a string, with a number written with a
specified length:
Example
let x = 9.656;
x.toPrecision();
x.toPrecision(2);
x.toPrecision(4);
x.toPrecision(6);
Try it Yourself »
The valueOf() Method
valueOf()
returns a number as a number.
In JavaScript, a number can be a primitive value (typeof = number) or an object (typeof = object).
The valueOf()
method is used internally in JavaScript to convert Number
objects to primitive values.
There is no reason to use it in your code.
All JavaScript data types have a valueOf()
and a toString()
method.
Converting Variables to Numbers
There are 3 JavaScript methods that can be used to convert a variable to a number:
Method | Description |
---|---|
Number() | Returns a number converted from its argument. |
parseFloat() | Parses its argument and returns a floating point number |
parseInt() | Parses its argument and returns a whole number |
The methods above are not number methods. They are global JavaScript methods.
The Number() Method
The Number()
method can be used to convert JavaScript variables to numbers:
Example
Number(true);
Number(false);
Number("10");
Number(" 10");
Number("10 ");
Number(" 10 ");
Number("10.33");
Number("10,33");
Number("10 33");
Number("John");
Try it Yourself »
If the number cannot be converted, NaN
(Not a Number) is returned.
The Number() Method Used on Dates
Number()
can also convert a date to a number.
The Number()
method returns the number of milliseconds since 1.1.1970.
The number of milliseconds between 1970-01-02 and 1970-01-01 is 86400000:
The parseInt() Method
parseInt()
parses a string and returns a whole number. Spaces are
allowed. Only the first number is returned:
Example
parseInt("-10");
parseInt("-10.33");
parseInt("10");
parseInt("10.33");
parseInt("10 20 30");
parseInt("10 years");
parseInt("years 10");
Try
it Yourself »If the number cannot be converted, NaN
(Not a Number) is returned.
The parseFloat() Method
parseFloat()
parses a string and returns a number. Spaces are
allowed. Only the first number is returned:
Example
parseFloat("10");
parseFloat("10.33");
parseFloat("10 20 30");
parseFloat("10 years");
parseFloat("years 10");
Try
it Yourself »If the number cannot be converted, NaN
(Not a Number) is returned.
Number Object Methods
These object methods belong to the Number object:
Method | Description |
---|---|
Number.isInteger() | Returns true if the argument is an integer |
Number.isSafeInteger() | Returns true if the argument is a safe integer |
Number.parseFloat() | Converts a string to a number |
Number.parseInt() | Converts a string to a whole number |
Number Methods Cannot be Used on Variables
The number methods above belong to the JavaScript Number Object.
These methods can only be accessed like Number.isInteger()
.
Using X.isInteger() where X is a variable, will result in an error:
TypeError X.isInteger is not a function
.
The Number.isInteger() Method
The Number.isInteger()
method returns true
if the argument is an integer.
The Number.isSafeInteger() Method
A safe integer is an integer that can be exactly represented as a double precision number.
The Number.isSafeInteger()
method returns true
if the argument is a safe integer.
Safe integers are all integers from -(253 - 1) to +(253 - 1).
This is safe: 9007199254740991. This is not safe: 9007199254740992.
The Number.parseFloat() Method
Number.parseFloat()
parses a string and returns a number.
Spaces are allowed. Only the first number is returned:
Example
Number.parseFloat("10");
Number.parseFloat("10.33");
Number.parseFloat("10 20 30");
Number.parseFloat("10 years");
Number.parseFloat("years 10");
Try
it Yourself »If the number cannot be converted, NaN
(Not a Number) is returned.
Note
The Number methods Number.parseInt()
and Number.parseFloat()
are the same as the
Global methods parseInt()
and parseFloat()
.
The purpose is modularization of globals (to make it easier to use the same JavaScript code outside the browser).
The Number.parseInt() Method
Number.parseInt()
parses a string and returns a whole number.
Spaces are allowed. Only the first number is returned:
Example
Number.parseInt("-10");
Number.parseInt("-10.33");
Number.parseInt("10");
Number.parseInt("10.33");
Number.parseInt("10 20 30");
Number.parseInt("10 years");
Number.parseInt("years 10");
Try
it Yourself »If the number cannot be converted, NaN
(Not a Number) is returned.
Complete JavaScript Number Reference
For a complete Number reference, visit our:
Complete JavaScript Number Reference.
The reference contains descriptions and examples of all Number properties and methods.