Which term describes the value that represents the range of a floating point number?

The value that represents the range of a floating-point number is referred to as the exponent. In floating-point representation, numbers are expressed in a way that allows for a wide range of values to be represented, including very large and very small numbers. This is achieved through scientific notation, where a number is represented as a coefficient multiplied by a base raised to an exponent.

The exponent determines the scale of the number; it essentially dictates how many places the decimal point can move, thereby affecting the overall range of values that can be represented. A higher exponent allows for larger numbers and a lower exponent allows for smaller numbers, thus directly influencing the range of the floating-point number.

While the mantissa and the coefficient contribute to the precision of the number (with the mantissa providing the significant digits), they do not determine the range in the same way that the exponent does. The base typically refers to the numerical system in use (e.g., binary, decimal) and does not play a role in determining the range of values for a floating-point representation.