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Re: a more precise distance algorithm

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On 05/25/2015 12:21 PM, ravas wrote:
> I read an interesting comment:
> """
> The coolest thing I've ever discovered about Pythagorean's Theorem is an alternate way to calculate it. If you write a program that uses the distance form c = sqrt(a^2 + b^2) you will suffer from the lose of half of your available precision because the square root operation is last. A more accurate calculation is c = a * sqrt(1 + b^2 / a^2). If a is less than b, you should swap them and of course handle the special case of a = 0.
> """
>
> Is this valid?

> Does it apply to python?

This is a statement about floating point numeric calculations on a 
computer,.  As such, it does apply to Python which uses the underlying 
hardware for floating point calculations.

Validity is another matter.  Where did you find the quote?

Gary Herron


> Any other thoughts? :D
>
> My imagining:
>
> def distance(A, B):
>      """
>      A & B are objects with x and y attributes
>      :return: the distance between A and B
>      """
>      dx = B.x - A.x
>      dy = B.y - A.y
>      a = min(dx, dy)
>      b = max(dx, dy)
>      if a == 0:
>          return b
>      elif b == 0:
>          return a
>      else:
>          return a * sqrt(1 + (b / a)**2)

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a more precise distance algorithm ravas <ravas@outlook.com> - 2015-05-25 12:21 -0700
  Re: a more precise distance algorithm felix <felix@epepm.cupet.cu> - 2015-05-25 16:06 -0400
  Re: a more precise distance algorithm Christian Gollwitzer <auriocus@gmx.de> - 2015-05-25 22:27 +0200
    Re: a more precise distance algorithm ravas <ravas@outlook.com> - 2015-05-25 14:03 -0700
  Re: a more precise distance algorithm Gary Herron <gary.herron@islandtraining.com> - 2015-05-25 13:20 -0700
    Re: a more precise distance algorithm ravas <ravas@outlook.com> - 2015-05-25 14:05 -0700
  Re: a more precise distance algorithm Steven D'Aprano <steve@pearwood.info> - 2015-05-26 13:11 +1000
    Re: a more precise distance algorithm ravas <ravas@outlook.com> - 2015-05-25 21:13 -0700
      Re: a more precise distance algorithm Gary Herron <gherron@digipen.edu> - 2015-05-25 22:09 -0700
        Re: a more precise distance algorithm ravas <ravas@outlook.com> - 2015-05-25 22:49 -0700
    Re: a more precise distance algorithm Christian Gollwitzer <auriocus@gmx.de> - 2015-05-26 07:33 +0200
    Re: a more precise distance algorithm Brian Blais <bblais@gmail.com> - 2015-05-27 14:00 -0400
    Re: a more precise distance algorithm Oscar Benjamin <oscar.j.benjamin@gmail.com> - 2015-05-27 23:03 +0100
    Re: a more precise distance algorithm Dennis Lee Bieber <wlfraed@ix.netcom.com> - 2015-05-27 23:04 -0400
  Re: a more precise distance algorithm Ian Kelly <ian.g.kelly@gmail.com> - 2015-05-25 22:42 -0600
    Re: a more precise distance algorithm ravas <ravas@outlook.com> - 2015-05-25 21:59 -0700
  Re: a more precise distance algorithm random832@fastmail.us - 2015-05-26 09:40 -0400
  Re: a more precise distance algorithm random832@fastmail.us - 2015-05-26 09:51 -0400
  Re: a more precise distance algorithm Robin Becker <robin@reportlab.com> - 2015-05-27 14:02 +0100

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