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Re: bug in IntegerPart ?

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg47809] Re: bug in IntegerPart ?
• From: Bill Rowe <readnewsciv at earthlink.net>
• Date: Tue, 27 Apr 2004 04:47:51 -0400 (EDT)
• Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

On 4/26/04 at 2:41 AM, ancow65 at yahoo.com (AC) wrote:

>"DrBob" <drbob at bigfoot.com> wrote in message
>news:<c6g015$4lk$1 at smc.vnet.net>...
>>There's NO reason to be puzzled. 1.65 and 1.3 can't be represented
>>exactly in binary, so of course their difference may not be exact,
>>either. Hence the division problems have different numerators.
>
>Your 'explanation' makes no sense whatsoever. Mathematica's binary
>representations of 1.65-1.3 and 0.35 are the same. That can be seen
>by comparing BaseForm[1.65 - 1.3, 2] with BaseForm[0.35,2]

BaseForm isn't doing what you think and will not show the difference. BaseForm controls only the display of a number. By default Mathematica displays a number to 6 significant digits. Both 1.65 - 1.3 and .35 are the same to 6 significant digits. Consequently, these will display the same when using BaseForm.

To see the difference use RealDigits or FullForm. Both of these clearly show the difference between 1.65 - 1.3 and .35.

>(n = 2^^0.010110011001100110011 )
> => 0.350000

Right, here you've inputed a number accurate to 6 significant digits. So, Mathematica displays 6 significant digits

> Notice the unussual display of trailing zeros. 

No, not unusual. Exactly as it should be. If I input 6 significant digits as

.35`6, I expect Mathematica to display 6 significant digits with the default settings.

>Additionally, a completely legitimate expression
>2^^BaseForm[0.35`, 2]
>produces a syntax error message.

The expression 2^^BaseForm[0.35, 2] isn't a legitimate expression. BaseForm puts a wrapper on the expression to control display. That is Head at BaseForm[0.35, 2] is BaseForm, not a sequence of binary digits.

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