What are truncation errors and why do they occur?

Truncation errors occur when a data type is used in an operation that requires a larger data type, resulting in data loss. This happens because the data type cannot accommodate the full value. For example, adding a large integer to a smaller integer can lead to data being discarded if the smaller integer's data type is too small to store the result. It's crucial to understand the data types involved and ensure they can handle the magnitude of the values being manipulated.