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NumberForm
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NumberForm

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NumberForm[expr,n]

prints with approximate real numbers in expr given to n‐digit precision.

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NumberForm[expr,{n,f}]

prints with approximate real numbers having n digits, with f digits to the right of the decimal point.

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NumberForm[expr]

prints using the default options of NumberForm.

Details and Options

Examples

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Basic Examples  (2)Summary of the most common use cases

Display the first 10 digits of a numeric approximation to :

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-da1xe1

Display a number with 3 precise digits and 4 digits to the right of the decimal:

In[1]:=1
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-co4ndf

Scope  (6)Survey of the scope of standard use cases

The default display for a machine number:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-3tuq2
Out[1]=1

Display more digits than the default:

In[2]:=2
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-g5rxex

Display fewer digits:

In[3]:=3
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-ih1j9z

Format a complex number:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-e2kf29

Format a high-precision number:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-cnqm2b
Out[1]=1
In[2]:=2
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-b1ylnq

Change the display of numbers in a vector:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-c84b3w
Out[1]=1
In[2]:=2
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-hp8brw

A matrix:

In[3]:=3
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-bips1r
Out[3]=3
In[4]:=4
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-gjobz1

Change the display of inexact numbers in a mixed expression:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-f4ifyf
Out[1]=1
In[2]:=2
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-ggqubo

This number renders in a notebook with two digits of precision:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-uifewd
Out[1]=1

Force the number to be rendered with default options:

In[2]:=2
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-jbeehz

Options  (13)Common values & functionality for each option

DefaultPrintPrecision  (1)

By default, machine real numbers are typeset with 6 digits of precision:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-pa14kl

Increase to 8 digits:

In[2]:=2
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-bfmvhi

DigitBlock  (2)

A default integer:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-oreeg

Digits separated in blocks of length 3:

In[2]:=2
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-mfgvbm

Use five‐digit blocks with spaces as separators:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-dmjeh5

ExponentFunction  (1)

Compute approximate powers of :

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-ljbpw5
Out[1]=1

Restrict exponents to multiples of 3:

In[2]:=2
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-cr8dpq

Include exponents only for powers greater than 10:

In[3]:=3
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-kyk7r

ExponentStep  (1)

Default formatting to 10 digits:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-idlunh

Restrict exponent to multiples of 6:

In[2]:=2
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-d35xit

NumberFormat  (1)

Display numbers in a Fortran‐like form:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-jg3e9k
Out[1]=1
In[2]:=2
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-udll3

Display only the mantissas:

In[3]:=3
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-dozqkd

Display the exponents after converting to scientific form:

In[4]:=4
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-dctwsg

NumberMultiplier  (1)

Use the default multiplier ×:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-b4wap3

Use an asterisk (*) instead:

In[2]:=2
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-gsz380

NumberPadding  (1)

The default does not pad on the left or right:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-jfxn4e

Pad with spaces on the left:

In[2]:=2
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-w9auc

Pad with 0s on the right:

In[3]:=3
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-fwz5ht

NumberPoint  (1)

The default is a period:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-g739xg

Display with a comma (,) instead:

In[2]:=2
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-c3l8f9

NumberSeparator  (1)

The default separator is a comma (,):

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-cadcob

Use spaces instead:

In[2]:=2
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-yufjk

NumberSigns  (1)

The default includes negative signs but not positive signs:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-c4t95y

Include positive signs as well:

In[2]:=2
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-d768s

Use words instead of symbols:

In[3]:=3
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-dfenls

ScientificNotationThreshold  (1)

By default, real numbers between 10-5 and 106 in absolute value are printed in decimal form, and in scientific form otherwise:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-q9opw6

Change the transition thresholds:

In[2]:=2
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-5e5ffu

SignPadding  (1)

The default pads before signs:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-dthdq1

Pad between signs and numbers instead:

In[2]:=2
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-fjfuge

Applications  (1)Sample problems that can be solved with this function

Display numeric approximations of with increasing precision and number of decimal digits:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-eia986
Out[1]=1

Display in a tabular form:

In[2]:=2
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-dufnjt

Properties & Relations  (5)Properties of the function, and connections to other functions

NumberForm and PaddedForm use the same mantissas and exponents by default:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-clh2nw
In[2]:=2
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-i8lkfv

ScientificForm has a single digit to the left of the decimal:

In[3]:=3
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-c4j4dm

EngineeringForm uses exponents that are multiples of 3:

In[4]:=4
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-b0o9lf

AccountingForm does not have exponents:

In[5]:=5
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-mgsdj

Convert a number to base 2:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-ujxfp

Represent the number precise to 3 decimal digits in base 2:

In[2]:=2
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-nhkc6o

Reconstruct the base 10 number precise to 3 digits:

In[3]:=3
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-gct9lg
Out[3]=3

Affect the display of numbers in MatrixForm or TableForm:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-cmzw84
In[2]:=2
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-fsn6jo
Out[2]=2

The typeset form of NumberForm[expr,n] is interpreted the same as expr when used in input:

In[1]:=1
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-4vr1if
Out[1]=1

Copy the output and paste it into an input cell. The 1.2 is interpreted as 1.23:

In[2]:=2
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-0ua7s9
Out[2]=2

When an input evaluates to NumberForm[expr,n], NumberForm does not appear in the output:

In[1]:=1
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-kv2vse

Out is assigned the value 1.23, not NumberForm[1.23,2]:

In[2]:=2
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-ksbxsp
Out[2]=2

Possible Issues  (2)Common pitfalls and unexpected behavior

Placeholder zeros may be needed if the requested precision is small:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-bnt2gt

Even when an output omits NumberForm from the top level, it is not stripped from subexpressions:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-xkxxt6

The output does not have NumberForm in it:

In[2]:=2
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-cu8wyl
Out[2]=2

However, the variable e does have NumberForm in it, which may affect subsequent evaluations:

In[3]:=3
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-f80vzn

The product is not evaluated due to the intervening NumberForm:

In[4]:=4
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-xw4sjn
Out[4]=4

Assign variables first and then apply NumberForm to the result to maintain computability:

In[5]:=5
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-d621g2
In[6]:=6
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0cq0js0a-vf6r9d
Out[6]=6
Wolfram Research (1988), NumberForm, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/NumberForm.html (updated 2017).
✖
Wolfram Research (1988), NumberForm, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/NumberForm.html (updated 2017).

Text

Wolfram Research (1988), NumberForm, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/NumberForm.html (updated 2017).

✖
Wolfram Research (1988), NumberForm, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/NumberForm.html (updated 2017).

CMS

Wolfram Language. 1988. "NumberForm." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. Last Modified 2017. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/NumberForm.html.

✖
Wolfram Language. 1988. "NumberForm." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. Last Modified 2017. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/NumberForm.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (1988). NumberForm. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/NumberForm.html

✖
Wolfram Language. (1988). NumberForm. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/NumberForm.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2025_numberform, author="Wolfram Research", title="{NumberForm}", year="2017", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/NumberForm.html}", note=[Accessed: 15-April-2025 ]}

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@misc{reference.wolfram_2025_numberform, author="Wolfram Research", title="{NumberForm}", year="2017", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/NumberForm.html}", note=[Accessed: 15-April-2025 ]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2025_numberform, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={NumberForm}, year={2017}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/NumberForm.html}, note=[Accessed: 15-April-2025 ]}

✖
@online{reference.wolfram_2025_numberform, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={NumberForm}, year={2017}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/NumberForm.html}, note=[Accessed: 15-April-2025 ]}