Casting and Ranges of Variables

Casting Variables

Casting refers to the process of converting a variable from one data type to another.
In Java, casting is achieved using the cast operator (round brackets), which is followed by the data type you want to convert to. Example: double myDouble = (double) myInt;
Variables can be cast into types that use less memory, such as converting a double to an int. This is known as downcasting.
Be mindful when downcasting, as it can lead to data loss if the original value has a higher precision than the new type can accommodate.
Variables can also be cast into types that use more memory or offer more precision, such as converting an int to a double. This is known as upcasting.
Upcasting is safer as it doesn’t lead to data loss, but it does use more memory.

Ranges of Variables

Each primitive data type in Java has a specific range of values that it can store.
The range is determined by the number of bits allocated for that type and how those bits are interpreted.
The data type byte has a range from -128 to 127.
The short data type range is from -32,768 to 32,767.
The int data type range is from -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647.
The long data type range is from -9,223,372,036,854,775,808 to 9,223,372,036,854,775,807.
For float and double data types, the range is much larger but they vary in precision.
Float can hold 6-7 decimal digits while double can hold up to 15 decimal digits.
The char type’s range is usually from 0 to 65,535, encompassing the Unicode character set.
The boolean type has only two possible values: true or false.