UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

If the exact mathematical result of an operation is too large or too small to be represented within the range of the chosen number system, we say overflow has occurred. In integer arithmetic, this often happens when adding two large positive numbers or two large negatives. The stored result then wraps around or is truncated, losing the true value. Thus, the condition is called overflow.

Option A:
Option A, underflow, refers to results that are too close to zero to be represented in a normalized floating-point format, not generally to exceeding the upper or lower integer range. It is a different phenomenon from overflow.

Option B:
Option B, wraparound, describes a behavior that may be observed after overflow occurs, such as high values wrapping to low values. However, it is not the formal name of the error condition itself.

Option C:
Option C is correct because overflow is the standard term for exceeding the representable range in a fixed-width number system. It signals that the numeric result is no longer reliable.

Option D:
Option D, truncation, refers to cutting off digits beyond a certain point, usually to limit precision. Although truncation can introduce error, it is not synonymous with exceeding range limits.