FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.6.0_24"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_24-b07)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 19.1-b02, mixed mode)

ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
SP3

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
BigDecimal seems to have trouble parsing some scientific notation strings when passed into the constructor.

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
Create a BigDecimal by passing in a string to the constructor with a large exponent (eg. "4.0E+7").
Create another BigDecimal by passing in a reasonably large number string (eg. "200.0")
Divide the first BigDecimal by the second.


EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
Expected Result: 200000.0
ACTUAL -
Actual result: 0.0

REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
import java.math.BigDecimal;

public class JavaBigDecimalBug {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        BigDecimal a1 = new BigDecimal("4.0E+7");
        BigDecimal b1 = new BigDecimal(Double.toString(200.0));
        BigDecimal c1 = a1.divide(b1, BigDecimal.ROUND_HALF_DOWN);
        System.out.println("a1 = " + a1);
        System.out.println("a1.doubleValue() = " + a1.doubleValue());
        System.out.println("b1 = " + b1);
        System.out.println("b1.doubleValue() = " + b1.doubleValue());
        System.out.println("c1 = " + c1);
        System.out.println("c1.doubleValue() = " + c1.doubleValue());

    }
}


Output:
a1 = 4.0E+7
a1.doubleValue() = 4.0E7
b1 = 200.0
b1.doubleValue() = 200.0
c1 = 0E+6
c1.doubleValue() = 0.0
---------- END SOURCE ----------

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
Workaround: pass in doubles instead of String representations.


import java.math.BigDecimal;

public class JavaBigDecimalBug {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        BigDecimal a2 = new BigDecimal(4.0E+7);
        BigDecimal b2 = new BigDecimal(200.0);
        BigDecimal c2 = a2.divide(b2, BigDecimal.ROUND_HALF_DOWN);
        System.out.println("a2 = " + a2);
        System.out.println("a2.doubleValue() = " + a2.doubleValue());
        System.out.println("b2 = " + b2);
        System.out.println("b2.doubleValue() = " + b2.doubleValue());
        System.out.println("c2 = " + c2);
        System.out.println("c2.doubleValue() = " + c2.doubleValue());

    }
}


Output a2 = 40000000
a2.doubleValue() = 4.0E7
b2 = 200
b2.doubleValue() = 200.0
c2 = 200000
c2.doubleValue() = 200000.0