1. A system comprising: a processor; a digital memory in operable communication with the processor; and a module for formatting floating-point numbers using at least one of the following: (a) a powers of ten table containing 64-bit floating point numbers used to determine the magnitude of a number which is being formatted, with a 0.0 entry and multiple entries which are ascending powers of ten, (b) a table of indexes into said powers of ten table used to locate an entry in the powers of ten table which is a power of ten closest on one side to the number which is being formatted.