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RE: output precision

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg26571] RE: [mg26553] output precision
• From: "David Park" <djmp at earthlink.net>
• Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2001 22:23:05 -0500 (EST)
• Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

Peter,

Mathematica normally displays 6 digits for approximate numbers. To change
this for individual cases use NumberForm to obtain the print precision you
wish.

39.78 9.37
NumberForm[%, 8]
372.739
372.7386

The result will be in machine precision no matter the number of digits
displayed.

If you want a permanent change in the number of digits displayed, open the
Options Inspector, set the scope to notebook or global and go to Formatting
Options/ Expression Formatting/ Display Options/ Print Precision and change
the number of digits you want displayed.

If you are concerned about precision in your calculations study Section 3.1
Numbers in the Mathematica Book.

And remember that N has nothing to do with display precision, it only
converts exact numbers to approximate numbers.

David Park
djmp at earthlink.net
http://home.earthlink.net/~djmp/


> From: Peter Klamser [mailto:klamser at t-online.de]
To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
>
> Hi, a trivial problem:
>
> 39.78 9.37=372.7386
>
> Mathematica says:
>
> 39.78 9.37=372.739
>
> How can I make Mathematica output the prescise result?
>
> Regrads, peter Klamser
>
>
>
>
>