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