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Groups > comp.soft-sys.math.mathematica > #3692

Re: Numerical accuracy/precision - this is a bug or a feature?

From Richard Fateman <fateman@cs.berkeley.edu>
Newsgroups comp.soft-sys.math.mathematica
Subject Re: Numerical accuracy/precision - this is a bug or a feature?
Date 2011-07-13 07:17 +0000
Organization Steven M. Christensen and Associates, Inc and MathTensor, Inc.
Message-ID <ivjgpc$2eu$1@smc.vnet.net> (permalink)
References <iv6hgo$sch$1@smc.vnet.net> <ivh9hh$lom$1@smc.vnet.net>

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On 7/12/2011 4:01 AM, slawek wrote:
> U=BFytkownik "DrMajorBob"<btreat1@austin.rr.com>  napisa=B3 w wiadomo=B6=
ci grup
> dyskusyjnych:iv6hgo$sch$1@smc.vnet.net...
>> Binary storage is not mathematically required, but the result is MUCH
>> faster code. Perhaps, at some point, we'll abandon this trade-off when
>> computers are so fast that the gain in speed isn't worth the confusion=
.
>> But that day isn't here, yet.
>
> BCD - Binary Coded Decimals.
>
>

IEEE 754-2008 is an update to the floating-point standard that not only
includes binary, but decimal arithmetic (and radix-independent).  This
is presumably implemented in hardware, or intended to be implemented in
hardware.

At least one computer algebra system does software arbitrary precision
floats in what looks like decimal.  Though I think it is base 1000 coded
in 1024 bits  or some such thing.
For more reading on IEEE use google or just check out
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_754-2008


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Thread

Re: Numerical accuracy/precision - this is a bug or a feature? DrMajorBob <btreat1@austin.rr.com> - 2011-07-08 09:09 +0000
  Re: Numerical accuracy/precision - this is a bug or a feature? "slawek" <slawek@host.pl> - 2011-07-12 11:01 +0000
    Re: Numerical accuracy/precision - this is a bug or a feature? Richard Fateman <fateman@cs.berkeley.edu> - 2011-07-13 07:17 +0000

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