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Groups > comp.lang.c++ > #124690

Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow?

From Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com>
Newsgroups comp.lang.c++, comp.lang.c
Subject Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow?
Date 2026-08-12 16:49 -0500
Organization A noiseless patient Spider
Message-ID <115ippl$15jbt$1@dont-email.me> (permalink)
References (12 earlier) <115h9mb$kpdk$1@dont-email.me> <115hjka$o7k2$1@kst.eternal-september.org> <20260812224333.000065c4@yahoo.com> <115im0c$136js$1@kst.eternal-september.org> <20260813002409.00003f1d@yahoo.com>

Cross-posted to 2 groups.

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On 8/12/2026 4:24 PM, Michael S wrote:
> On Wed, 12 Aug 2026 13:44:50 -0700
> Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> writes:
>>> On Wed, 12 Aug 2026 03:58:16 -0700
>>> Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> writes:
>>>> [...]
>>>>> And I thought it is entirely obvious that when you are actually
>>>>> implementing a floating point power function on a binary computer
>>>>> using floating point formats specified in binary, it is most
>>>>> efficient to use base 2 for the log and anti-log.  If you had a
>>>>> floating point format that used base 10, you'd probably want to
>>>>> use base 10 for the log and anti-log.
>>>>
>>>> Is it obvious?  It had never occurred to me.
>>>>
>>>> log and exp are certainly more mathematically straightforward in
>>>> base e than in other bases.
>>>
>>> Only near x=1 for log(x) and near x=0 for exp(x).
>>
>> Can you explain what you mean by that?
>>
>> Mathematically, exp(x) (base e) is described by the Taylor series.
>> In clumsy ASCII notation, it's:
>>
>>      1 + x + x**2/2! + x**3/3! + x**4/4! + ...
>>
>> b**x, were b is a base other than e (often 2 or 10) is
>> exp(x * log(base)), where exp() and log() are base e.  In other
>> words, exp and log for bases other than e are most straightforwardly
>> defined on top of exp and log for base e.
>>
>> That's what I meant by "more mathematically straightforward".
>>
>> If you say there are computational reasons why exp2 and log2 are
>> advantageous when using binary floating-point, I can believe that.
>> I just don't understand the reasons (and to be honest, I'm not sure
>> I'd understand an explanation without more effort than I'm willing
>> to expend, unless somebody wants to pay me to work on this stuff).
>>
> 
> It's late here and I want to sleep, so very briefly:
> The best computational way to calculate a**x for constant a on
> relatively big interval of x, like [0:1] or [-0.5:0.5] is not through
> evaluation of polynomial of very high degree, but by splitting
> interval into sub ranges and calculating y = Yi * a**(x-Xi) where
> Yi is tabulated and may be Xi tabulated too, or may be Xi just regularly
> spaced. For double precision and for speed/space/precision requirements
> of C math library you will probably want many dozen of intervals, or
> low hundreds. That allows much lower degree of poly for a**(x-Xi).
> And to lower degree even further you use Chebyshev series or may be
> even series derived by Remez exchange algorithm rather than Taylor
> series. It means that even for a=e the second coefficient is not 1 and
> likely the 1st coefficient is also not 1. So, a=e has no advantage vs
> a=2. Of course, in this part of calculation a=2 also holds no
> advantages vs any other base, but it has advantages in other parts of
> of solution.
> Different but ideologically similar reasoning applies to natural
> log vs log2.

I have found over the years that 200 points seems to be best when 
performing a numerical integration of a curve.  For me, 200 points is 
the point where diminishing returns has set in.  Of course, YMMV.

Lynn

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why is there not a ipow version of pow? Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> - 2026-08-11 03:01 -0500
  Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2026-08-11 13:11 +0200
    Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2026-08-11 12:45 +0100
      Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2026-08-11 14:34 +0200
      Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2026-08-11 14:55 +0200
        Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-08-11 15:19 +0200
          Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2026-08-11 15:27 +0200
            Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-08-11 16:08 +0200
              Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2026-08-11 16:18 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-08-11 17:11 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2026-08-11 17:20 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-08-11 17:32 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2026-08-11 17:39 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-08-11 18:33 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2026-08-11 18:39 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2026-08-11 23:31 +0300
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? James Kuyper <jameskuyper@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2026-08-11 11:46 -0400
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-08-11 18:35 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? antispam@fricas.org (Waldek Hebisch) - 2026-08-11 22:53 +0000
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-08-12 10:08 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2026-08-12 03:58 -0700
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-08-12 13:31 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2026-08-12 22:43 +0300
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2026-08-12 13:44 -0700
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2026-08-13 00:24 +0300
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> - 2026-08-12 16:49 -0500
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-08-13 08:38 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> - 2026-08-13 18:59 -0500
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2026-08-13 18:51 -0700
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> - 2026-08-14 00:58 -0500
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2026-08-14 12:08 -0700
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> - 2026-08-14 15:48 -0500
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2026-08-14 13:51 -0700
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> - 2026-08-14 16:40 -0500
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2026-08-14 19:24 -0700
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> - 2026-08-14 22:51 -0500
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2026-08-14 22:33 -0700
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Ross Finlayson <ross.a.finlayson@gmail.com> - 2026-08-15 10:40 -0700
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2026-08-15 11:41 -0700
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> - 2026-08-17 14:48 -0500
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2026-08-16 14:58 -0700
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-08-14 08:57 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2026-08-14 12:46 -0700
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? James Kuyper <jameskuyper@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2026-08-13 12:59 -0400
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? antispam@fricas.org (Waldek Hebisch) - 2026-08-12 20:23 +0000
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2026-08-11 18:19 +0000
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2026-08-11 20:21 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2026-08-11 21:10 +0000
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2026-08-12 00:42 +0300
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2026-08-12 06:41 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2026-08-12 14:19 +0000
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2026-08-12 16:56 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2026-08-12 15:32 +0000
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2026-08-12 22:05 +0300
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2026-08-12 19:09 -0400
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2026-08-11 21:58 +0300
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Ross Finlayson <ross.a.finlayson@gmail.com> - 2026-08-11 21:44 -0700
              Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2026-08-11 15:45 +0100
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2026-08-11 16:56 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-08-11 17:23 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2026-08-11 17:24 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2026-08-11 16:23 +0100
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2026-08-11 17:26 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2026-08-11 17:54 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2026-08-11 18:40 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2026-08-12 08:49 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2026-08-12 09:11 -0400
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2026-08-12 16:05 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2026-08-12 12:40 -0700
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2026-08-13 15:46 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2026-08-13 14:28 -0700
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2026-08-11 16:20 -0700
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2026-08-11 18:43 +0100
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2026-08-11 19:56 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2026-08-11 20:41 +0100
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2026-08-12 06:42 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-08-12 10:23 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2026-08-11 20:24 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2026-08-11 20:27 +0100
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2026-08-12 06:45 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-08-11 17:16 +0200
      Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-08-11 15:17 +0200
        Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2026-08-11 15:28 +0200
          Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-08-11 16:43 +0200
            Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2026-08-11 16:47 +0200
              Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-08-11 17:24 +0200
    Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2026-08-11 09:36 -0400
      Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> - 2026-08-11 16:42 -0500
  Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2026-08-11 19:15 +0200
    Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> - 2026-08-11 16:41 -0500
      Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> - 2026-08-11 16:49 -0500
        Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2026-08-11 23:28 +0100
          Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> - 2026-08-11 17:51 -0500
      Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2026-08-11 15:33 -0700
        Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> - 2026-08-11 17:49 -0500
          Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2026-08-11 16:19 -0700
            Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> - 2026-08-12 00:32 -0500
              Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2026-08-12 14:08 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2026-08-12 18:40 +0200
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-08-14 02:50 +0000
  Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-08-12 04:26 +0000
    Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> - 2026-08-12 01:37 -0500
      Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2026-08-13 00:12 -0400
      Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Johann 'Myrkraverk' Oskarsson <johann@myrkraverk.invalid> - 2026-08-14 11:22 +0800
        Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> - 2026-08-14 01:00 -0500
          Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Johann 'Myrkraverk' Oskarsson <johann@myrkraverk.invalid> - 2026-08-14 14:47 +0800
            Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> - 2026-08-14 13:54 -0500
              Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-08-16 22:49 +0000
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> - 2026-08-17 14:56 -0500
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-08-17 23:53 +0000
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> - 2026-08-17 19:59 -0500
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-08-18 02:47 +0000
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> - 2026-08-17 15:17 -0500
            Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2026-08-14 12:03 -0700
              Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Johann 'Myrkraverk' Oskarsson <johann@myrkraverk.invalid> - 2026-08-15 03:51 +0800
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2026-08-14 12:52 -0700
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Johann 'Myrkraverk' Oskarsson <johann@myrkraverk.invalid> - 2026-08-15 04:01 +0800
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2026-08-14 13:27 -0700
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2026-08-14 13:29 -0700
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Johann 'Myrkraverk' Oskarsson <johann@myrkraverk.invalid> - 2026-08-15 04:49 +0800
                Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2026-08-14 20:32 -0700
    Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2026-08-12 11:28 +0100
      Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-08-12 23:52 +0000
  Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Johann 'Myrkraverk' Oskarsson <johann@myrkraverk.invalid> - 2026-08-13 17:19 +0800
    Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> - 2026-08-13 19:07 -0500
      Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Johann 'Myrkraverk' Oskarsson <johann@myrkraverk.invalid> - 2026-08-14 10:58 +0800
        Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> - 2026-08-14 01:14 -0500
      Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-08-17 06:40 +0000
        Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Johann 'Myrkraverk' Oskarsson <johann@myrkraverk.invalid> - 2026-08-17 21:40 +0800
  Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> - 2026-08-18 00:42 -0500
    Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2026-08-18 09:34 +0200
    Re: why is there not a ipow version of pow? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-08-18 11:32 +0200

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