NaN Miles means “Not a Number” Miles. It is an error that Facebook shows on marketplace listings for vehicles and other such items where sellers do not specify the location or enter the wrong value.
What does “NaN Miles” mean on Facebook? If you’ve been searching the internet for a new vehicle of some kind, whether a car, boat, or even a snowmobile, you may have come across the term ‘driven NAN miles’, or ‘NaN Miles’ which may have left you confused.
This article explains what does “NAN miles” or “driven NAN miles” Mean on Facebook or other platforms. Moreover, you will also know where you could expect to see NAN miles, and why NAN is even mentioned as a piece of information.
Understanding ‘NaN Miles’
To comprehend the term “NaN Miles,” it’s crucial to first understand what “NaN” stands for. “NaN” is an acronym for “Not a Number.” It is a term used in computing and mathematics to represent a value that is undefined or unrepresentable. In programming, “NaN” often appears when a mathematical operation fails, or when a function is applied to a value that it cannot handle. The word NAN, or ‘not a number,’ attempts to explain to the reader that it is not possible to represent a specific value larger than 0 or that there’s no value associated with the number of miles.
Let’s cite an example. Say you’re trying to buy a car online and the listing website shows NaN miles. That could mean a few things. The first possibility is that the website is unable to determine the distance between your location and the location provided by seller.
The second possibility is that the seller has written NaN miles in the description instead of writing mileage of the car. That is because sometimes people write “NA” or “NaN Miles” in the description in the hopes of attracting interested people to contact them about the car. So, if you are satisfied with what you see and want to know about mileage, you will contact the person. That gives the seller a chance to effectively negotiate a sales price with you.
What does NaN Miles Mean on Facebook?
On Facebook, particularly in the Marketplace section, ‘NaN Miles’ usually appears when the mileage of a vehicle has not been entered correctly or at all.
When a seller lists a vehicle for sale on Facebook Marketplace, they have the option to include the vehicle’s mileage. If this information is not entered correctly or left blank, Facebook returns ‘NaN Miles’ in the listing. This is a way of indicating to the seller that there has been a mistake in entering the mileage.
Debunking the Myths
There are several misconceptions surrounding the term ‘NaN Miles.’ One widespread myth, particularly in the United Kingdom, is that ‘NaN’ is a nickname for a grandmother, suggesting that ‘NaN Miles’ implies the vehicle was driven cautiously. However, this interpretation is not accurate. The term ‘NaN Miles’ has nothing to do with how the vehicle was driven; it is purely a technical term indicating an error or omission in entering the mileage.
Implications of ‘NAN Miles’ for Buyers and Sellers
For buyers, seeing ‘NaN Miles’ on a listing can be confusing. It may lead to uncertainty about the vehicle’s condition and history. Therefore, it is crucial for buyers to understand that ‘NaN Miles’ means the mileage information is missing or incorrect. If you come across a listing with ‘NaN Miles,’ it would be wise to contact the seller for clarification.
For sellers, it is essential to ensure that all information, including mileage, is entered correctly when listing a vehicle. An error like ‘NaN Miles’ can deter potential buyers and may affect the perceived credibility of the listing.
‘NaN Miles’ Beyond Vehicles
While ‘NaN Miles’ is commonly seen in vehicle listings, it can also appear in other contexts on Facebook Marketplace. For instance, it may show up in listings for boats, campers, or other items where mileage or distance is a relevant detail. The meaning remains the same – it indicates that the mileage or distance information is missing or has been entered incorrectly.
Why do Some Facebook Marketplace Listings for Cars Say “NaN Miles” or “Driven NaN Miles”?
Sometimes Facebook may not properly register the distance that people enter into their listing and writes “NaN.” (not a number). As a result, they must either modify the listing or change the way the values were entered.
Other than NaN Miles, It is normal to see driven NAN miles in Facebook Marketplace ads. Driven NaN Miles meaning on Facebook or any other selling platform is that the mileage of the vehicle you are looking at is not available. Possible reason behind that could be, the seller wants you to contact them directly and ask for more information.
Reasons for listings showing NaN Miles
1. NaN Miles is Displayed Due to a Calculation Error
If the system used to display mileage incorrectly processes or calculates mileage, NaN will be displayed to indicate an error in understanding and showing the right figure.
2. NaN Miles are Displayed Due to a User Input Error
Driven NAN miles may appear if the user attempting to enter mileage values into a form does so incorrectly. For example, by entering in a character that should not be there or is not a number.
Or they may have mistakenly left out mileage information, and all the system can do is put ‘NAN miles’ in the vehicle advertisement.
3. NAN Miles are Displayed because the Value is in the Incorrect Format
NAN miles may also appear because the values entered into a mileage form by the user may be in the incorrect format.
For example, if a user writes the numbers in text form rather than actual numerical values (numbers), the system may reject this format as it is difficult to calculate numerically, so ‘Driven NaN miles’ may be displayed instead.
4. NAN Miles is written intentionally by the seller
The most typical place you might see NAN miles or Driven NAN miles stated is in vehicle advertisements, where the vehicle’s mileage should appear.
If the mileage data is incorrectly submitted by the user or incorrectly processed by the system making the advertisement, NAN will most likely appear in the mileage field of the advertisement.
5. ‘Driven NAN Miles’ Might be Shown for Boats
Because the distance boats travel in their lives is not routinely tracked and reported as mileage, the term ‘NAN miles’ appears frequently in boat advertisements. Boats are frequently measured in terms of hours on the water, etc.
When a boat seller creates an advertisement for a boat and wants to fill in the mileage area, they may enter N/A or leave the form blank.
This is then displayed as ‘NAN miles’ in the advertisement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do people say NaN miles?
How many miles is NaN?
What does it mean when a car is driven NaN miles?
It is also possible that the mileage of the car is not available because of some other issue but that is unlikely unless it’s a damaged car available for spare parts.
What is NaN slang for?
In the online communities, NaN sometimes also means “No Action Necessary”.
