Understanding Q formats

1. What is format Q?
2. What does Q stand for in numbers?
3. What does the M in Qn M signify?
4. What is fixed-point format?

What is format Q?

Q (number) format is a fixed-point method of coding fractional and whole integers for processing by a computer's CPU or a digital signal processor (DSP). The Q format is used to enable rational number processing by a standard integer hardware arithmetic logic unit (ALU).

What does Q stand for in numbers?

List of Mathematical Symbols. • R = real numbers, Z = integers, N=natural numbers, Q = rational numbers, P = irrational numbers.

What does the M in Qn M signify?

If we are using n bits for the integer part and m bits for the fractional part, we may say that the numbers are in Qn. m format.

What is fixed-point format?

In computing, fixed-point is a method of representing fractional (non-integer) numbers by storing a fixed number of digits of their fractional part. Dollar amounts, for example, are often stored with exactly two fractional digits, representing the cents (1/100 of dollar).