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Re: Outputting to file with fixed decimal digits

  • To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
  • Subject: [mg75332] Re: Outputting to file with fixed decimal digits
  • From: Bill Rowe <readnewsciv at sbcglobal.net>
  • Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 05:40:25 -0400 (EDT)

On 4/24/07 at 3:19 AM, do.not at reply.nonet wrote:

>I have suggested using the "Floor" function - it's to avoid the
>"Round" function which has the most bizarre definition in
>Mathematica - it doesn't give the same answer every time. (Look in
>"Further Examples" in the Help on "Round")

Hmm... Are you referring to the note that indicates the output
of Round alternates between rounding up and rounding down for xxxxx.5?

If so, this really isn't indicating you get different answers
with the same input which seems to be what you are implying with
"it doesn't give the same answer every time".

=46or a value of the form xxxx.5 you've one of three choices

Round to xxxx --- introduces a negative statistical bias
Round to xxxx + 1 --- introduces a positive statistical bias
do what Mathematica does and avoid a statistical bias

While I can understand you may be used to a different choice
than being made by Mathematica or there may be some application
where a different choice is preferred, each of the choices above
is equally valid. And none of them (assuming they are
consistently applied) equates to not getting the same answer
from the same input data.
--
To reply via email subtract one hundred and four


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