Next: Arithmetic of integers
Up: Arithmetic
Previous: Arithmetic
numeric arithmetic
- normally inexact
- usually produces some sort of answer (may suffer loss of
accuracy, fail to converge, etc.)
- arithmetic relatively cheap
- zeroes usually not given special treatment except to avoid
computational singularities
- zero detection: number sufficiently small?
- maximize size of pivots to promote stability
symbolic arithmetic
- always exact
- frequently cannot produce an answer (problem is intractable,
expression swell, etc.)
- arithmetic often expensive
- zeroes can greatly simplify calculations by making some of them
unnecessary
- zero detection: expression equivalent to zero?
- minimize complexity of
pivots to stunt expression growth
Richard Liska