std::numeric_limits::lowest
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                    < cpp | types | numeric limits
                    
                                                            
                    | static constexpr T lowest() | (since C++11) | |
Returns the lowest finite value representable by the numeric type T, that is, a finite value x such that there is no other finite value y where y < x. This is different from std::numeric_limits<T>::min() for floating-point types. Only meaningful for bounded types.
| Contents | 
[edit] Return value
| T | std::numeric_limits<T>::lowest() | 
| /* non-specialized */ | T(); | 
| bool | false | 
| char | CHAR_MIN | 
| signed char | SCHAR_MIN | 
| unsigned char | 0 | 
| wchar_t | WCHAR_MIN | 
| char16_t | 0 | 
| char32_t | 0 | 
| short | SHRT_MIN | 
| unsigned short | 0 | 
| int | INT_MIN | 
| unsigned int | 0 | 
| long | LONG_MIN | 
| unsigned long | 0 | 
| long long | LLONG_MIN | 
| unsigned long long | 0 | 
| float | -FLT_MAX | 
| double | -DBL_MAX | 
| long double | -LDBL_MAX | 
[edit] Notes
While it's not true for fundamental C++ floating-poing types, a third-party floating-point type T may exist such that std::numeric_limits<T>::lowest() != -std::numeric_limits<T>::max().
[edit] Exceptions
| (none) | (until C++11) | 
| 
noexcept specification:   noexcept | (since C++11) | 
[edit] Example
Demonstrates min, max, and lowest for floating-point types
Run this code
#include <limits> #include <iostream> int main() { std::cout << "std::numeric_limits<T>::min():\n" << "\tfloat: " << std::numeric_limits<float>::min() << " or " << std::hexfloat << std::numeric_limits<float>::min() << '\n' << "\tdouble: " << std::defaultfloat << std::numeric_limits<double>::min() << " or " << std::hexfloat << std::numeric_limits<double>::min() << '\n'; std::cout << "std::numeric_limits<T>::lowest():\n" << "\tfloat: " << std::defaultfloat << std::numeric_limits<float>::lowest() << " or " << std::hexfloat << std::numeric_limits<float>::lowest() << '\n' << "\tdouble: " << std::defaultfloat << std::numeric_limits<double>::lowest() << " or " << std::hexfloat << std::numeric_limits<double>::lowest() << '\n'; std::cout << "std::numeric_limits<T>::max():\n" << "\tfloat: " << std::defaultfloat << std::numeric_limits<float>::max() << " or " << std::hexfloat << std::numeric_limits<float>::max() << '\n' << "\tdouble: " << std::defaultfloat << std::numeric_limits<double>::max() << " or " << std::hexfloat << std::numeric_limits<double>::max() << '\n'; }
Output:
std::numeric_limits<T>::min():
        float: 1.17549e-38 or 0x1p-126
        double: 2.22507e-308 or 0x1p-1022
std::numeric_limits<T>::lowest():
        float: -3.40282e+38 or -0x1.fffffep+127
        double: -1.79769e+308 or -0x1.fffffffffffffp+1023
std::numeric_limits<T>::max():
        float: 3.40282e+38 or 0x1.fffffep+127
        double: 1.79769e+308 or 0x1.fffffffffffffp+1023[edit] See also
| [static] | returns the smallest finite value of the given type (public static member function) | 
| [static] | returns the smallest positive subnormal value of the given floating-point type (public static member function) | 
| [static] | returns the largest finite value of the given type (public static member function) |