title: What's the difference between a single precision and double precision floating point operation?
body: <p>What is the difference between a single precision floating point operation and double precision floating operation?</p>
  
  <p>I'm especially interested in practical terms in relation to video game consoles. For example, does the Nintendo 64 have a 64 bit processor and if it does then would that mean it was capable of double precision floating point operations? Can the PS3 and Xbox 360 pull off double precision floating point operations or only single precision and in general use is the double precision capabilities made use of (if they exist?).</p>