Re: precision on op:numeric-divide

Damien Fisher wrote:
> And should rational answers always be returned exactly, even
> if that requires an enormous amount of precision?

Many language implementations (including any for full Common Lisp)
do support exact rationals, and people seem to like that.  (They also
support floating-point.)

In the Lisp family, exact rationals are usually implemented and
printed as simplified fractions; but using repeating decimals might
be more useful.  E.g. op:numeric-divide(5, 3) could return a
decimal whose literal form might be "1._6_" where digits between
_ and _ are infinitely repeating.
-- 
	--Per Bothner
per@bothner.com   http://per.bothner.com/

Received on Tuesday, 9 December 2003 22:21:32 UTC