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Decimal.set_scale

set_scalenew_scale

Group: Math

Documentation​

Change the scale of a Decimal. A Decimal value is represented internally by a Java BigInteger "unscaled value" and a "scale value". The numerical value of the Decimal is (unscaledValue * 10^(-scale)). Scale values are maintained automatically by the constructors and numerical operations, but can also be set explicitly. Scale values can allow distinctions between values that would be identical as Floats. For example, the following values have different internal representations: a = Decimal.new "2.0" b = Decimal.new "2.00" a == b # => True These two values have different internal representations, but they are still considered the same value by ==.

Examples​

Set the scale of a Decimal​

      d = dec "23.456" set_scale 4
      d.internal_representation
      # => [234560, 6, 4]

Get an error when using a scale that is too small.​

(A scale of 2 is not enough to represent three decimal places.)

      dec "23.456" set_scale 2
      # => Arithmetic_Error

Errors​

  • If an explicit scale parameter is passed, and the scale is not large enough to represent the number exactly, an Arithmetic_Error is thrown.