[Python-Dev] Expert floats (original) (raw)

Aahz aahz at pythoncraft.com
Wed Mar 31 13:58:54 EST 2004

On Wed, Mar 31, 2004, Andrew Koenig wrote:

Decimal floating-point has almost all the pitfalls of binary floating-point, yet I do not see anyone arguing against decimal floating-point on the basis that it makes the pitfalls less apparent.

Actually, decimal floating point takes care of two of the pitfalls of binary floating point:

When people are taught decimal arithmetic, they're usually taught the problems with it, so they aren't surprised. (e.g. 1/3)

Aahz (aahz at pythoncraft.com) <*> http://www.pythoncraft.com/

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