BigNum is an arbitrary precision decimal number (Think BCD -- Binary Coded Decimal ala the Unix utility BC)
-----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2004 9:12 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: Numeric semantics for base pmcs On Wed, 25 Aug 2004 08:40:32 -0400, "Gay, Jerry" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> said: > Leopold Toetsch <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > BigNums grow on demand. It depends on value and precision. > > > > can BigNum then start at sizeof(int)? overflow would auto-grow the BigNum > to > the appropriate size, and most integer math operations will keep space > usage > as low as possible. > > in fact, then int is just a degenerate case of BigNum, one that doesn't > grow > and throws an exception instead. or, maybe that's the case already, i > should > probably read the docs. > > ~jerry > What is the most reasonable paradigm for scientific/high precision applications? It seems to me that this type of thing has been hashed out before, and it should be designed in a way that makes it attractive/sellable for scientists, engineers, etc. One handicap that Perl has (by reputation only) in the sciences is that it is not good for precision math. I know this is not true, and you all know this is not true, but the community(ies) at large do not know - they are stuck in the land of Fortran, and from my experience people are by-passing Perl for things like Python when they do venture out. Just out of curiosity, is BigNum like a "double" (16 bit) or is it just limited by the precision of the machine, i.e. 32 or 64 bit? Thanks, Brett Perl6 ToDo: http://www.parrotcode.org/todo The information contained in this e-mail message is privileged and/or confidential and is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, or the employee or agent responsible to deliver it to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please immediately notify us by telephone (330-668-5000), and destroy the original message. Thank you.
