Avoidance:
a. Use the Right-sized Containers: When you create a variable (like a box to store a number), make sure it’s big enough to hold the largest number you might work with. Imagine if your box can only hold numbers up to 100, and you try to put 150 in it – that’s a problem. So, use a bigger box!
b. Check Your Work: Special tools and methods can be used to double-check your work and make sure you’re not accidentally creating situations where the numbers get too big for their containers.
Handling:
a. Anticipate Trouble: If you know that a number might become too big, can build in checks in your program to catch it before it causes problems. It’s like checking your bank balance before spending money to make sure you’re not going to run out.
Propagation:
a. Special Signals for Trouble: Imagine if you had a special signal or flag that pops up when a number becomes too big. Instead of constantly checking the size of the numbers, you check once at the end. It’s like a warning light in your car that tells you something’s wrong, but you don’t have to keep checking the engine every minute.
b. Floating Point Hardware (FPU): In some cases, the computer has built-in tools (like a calculator) that can handle really big or really small numbers. It’s like having a super-smart assistant who knows how to deal with huge or tiny amounts without causing problems.