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How to display the desired numerical precision?

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg25215] How to display the desired numerical precision?
• From: "Christopher R. Carlen" <crcarle at sandia.gov>
• Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 02:21:49 -0400 (EDT)
• Organization: Sandia National Laboratories
• Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

Hi:

In Mathematica 3, I could input

N[ Pi, 12 ]

and see 12 digits of result.  However in Mathematica 4 I see 6 digits, no matter
what I put in for the number of digits, unless >16.  In other words, 

N[ Pi, 17 ]

shows 17 digits.

It seems that for less than or equal to machine precision, the result
gets displayed using the setting of Formatting Options|Expression
Formatting|Display OPtions|Print Precision.

But for numbers greater than the maching precision, the result displays
according the precision specified to the N function.

Can someone tell me how to get the following behavior from Mathematica 4:

If I don't specify anything about precision, show 6 digits.

Else if I specify any number of digits to N[] from 1 to n, then display
n digits.

Thanks for input.
-- 
_______________________
Christopher R. Carlen
Sr. Laser/Optical Tech.
Sandia National Labs