Significand ($m$)

The significant-digit factor $m$ in a floating-point representation $(-1{)}^{s}m{\beta }^e$, where $s$ is the sign bit, $\beta$ the radix and $e$ the exponent. For a normal positive binary significand, $1\le m<2$, and the leading one need not be stored. In a subnormal number, the leading digit is zero at the minimum normal exponent scale. The significand is a numerical factor, distinct from the stored trailing fraction bits that encode part of it.