title: What is a "bias value" of floating-point numbers?
body: <p>In learning how floating point numbers are represented in computers I have come across the term "bias value" that I do not quite understand.</p>
  
  <p>The bias value in floating point numbers has to do with the negative and positiveness of the exponent part of a floating point number.</p>
  
  <p>The bias value of a floating point number is 127, which means that 127 is always added to the exponent part of a floating point number. How does doing this help determine if the exponent is negative or positive or not?</p>