Safest way to convert float to integer in python?

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Python's math module contain handy functions like floor & ceil. These functions take a floating point number and return the nearest integer below or above it. However these functions return the answer as a floating point number. For example:

import math
f=math.floor(2.3)

Now f returns:

2.0

What is the safest way to get an integer out of this float, without running the risk of rounding errors (for example if the float is the equivalent of 1.99999) or perhaps I should use another function altogether?

9 Answers

Since you're asking for the 'safest' way, I'll provide another answer other than the top answer.

An easy way to make sure you don't lose any precision is to check if the values would be equal after you convert them.

if int(some_value) == some_value:
     some_value = int(some_value)

If the float is 1.0 for example, 1.0 is equal to 1. So the conversion to int will execute. And if the float is 1.1, int(1.1) equates to 1, and 1.1 != 1. So the value will remain a float and you won't lose any precision.

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