(FPA) Additional hardware to perform funCtions on floating-point numbers suCh as addition, multipliCation, logarithms, exponentials, trigonometriC funCtions and various kinds of rounding and error deteCtion. A floating-point aCCelerator often funCtions as a Co-proCessor to the CPU. The term "floating-point aCCelerator" suggests a physiCally larger system, often an extra CirCuit board, whereas a "floating-point unit" is probably a single Chip or even part of a Chip. (1994-12-01)