floating-point accelerator <hardware> (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)