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[Axiom-developer] [#167 Infinite Floats Domain] Float is arbitrary preci


From: wyscc
Subject: [Axiom-developer] [#167 Infinite Floats Domain] Float is arbitrary precision, not infinite precision
Date: Mon, 13 Jun 2005 08:18:59 -0500

Changes 
http://page.axiom-developer.org/zope/mathaction/167InfiniteFloatsDomain/diff
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??changed:
-In 'FLOAT', conceptually the infinite precision floating point system, is 
basically also finite precision floating point system, with the ability to 
increase precision as requested. However, this promotion is not automatic. In 
other words, every 'FLOAT' number has its own precision, implicit in the length 
of its mantissa. In effect, 'FLOAT' is the union of floating point systems with 
various precisions, but without exact arithmetic. So Tim is not entirely wrong 
in saying we don't have infinite precision floating point in the spirit of INT. 
The real question for the developers is then: 
In 'FLOAT', conceptually the infinite precision floating point system, is 
basically also finite precision floating point system, with the ability to 
increase precision as requested. However, this promotion is not automatic. In 
other words, every 'FLOAT' number has its own precision, implicit in the length 
of its mantissa. In effect, 'FLOAT' is the union of floating point systems with 
various precisions, but without exact arithmetic. So Tim is not entirely wrong 
in saying we don't have infinite precision floating point in the spirit of INT. 
What we have in 'FLOAT' is arbitrary precision, not infinite precision (exact 
arithmetic). The real question for the developers is then: 

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