1. In a data processor, a method for executing a floating point instruction comprising the steps of: receiving a floating point range instruction, the floating point range instruction specifying a first floating point operand and a floating point result each having a sign bit field, an exponent field, and a mantissa field; copying the sign bit field of the first floating point operand into the sign bit field of the floating point result; copying the exponent field of the first floating point operand into the exponent field of the floating point result; and copying a predetermined value into the mantissa field of the floating point result.