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Re: computing times and output display

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg66966] Re: computing times and output display
• From: David Bailey <dave at Remove_Thisdbailey.co.uk>
• Date: Mon, 5 Jun 2006 03:48:33 -0400 (EDT)
• References: <e5tqd6$cv2$1@smc.vnet.net>
• Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

Steven Shippee wrote:
> Running Mathematica version 5.2 on Windows XP Professional with an older 
> Pentium III 833MHz processor and 512 GB of RAM.
> 
> Anyone know why 8^8^8 (or 9^9^9) takes several minutes to "compute" and 
> display results, but in a new fresh kernel/environment 9^9^9. (decimal after 
> the last number 9) one gets an almost instantaneous response?  Is this 
> merely the difference in preparing for the output of the computation to the 
> screen ...
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> 
> Steven Shippee 
> 
> 
8^8^8 or 9^9^9 is an exact integer calculation, and has to be performed 
using software multiple precision integer operations.

9^9^9. is a real calculation (and therefore imprecise) and is done with 
hardware floating point operations.

David Bailey
http://www.dbaileyconsultancy.co.uk