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Re: beauty or accuracy

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg103888] Re: [mg103858] beauty or accuracy
• From: Bob Hanlon <hanlonr at cox.net>
• Date: Sat, 10 Oct 2009 07:11:25 -0400 (EDT)
• Reply-to: hanlonr at cox.net

42500 - 1907.25

40592.8

The default output display is six digits but the stored value is accurate. For example, use InputForm

% // InputForm

40592.75

Rationalize[%%]

162371/4

% == %%%

True


Bob Hanlon

---- Li Zhengji <zhengji.li at gmail.com> wrote: 

=============
Hi all,

42500 - 1907.25 = 40592.8 (http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=42500+-+1907.25)

I do believe that it is because Mathematica "thinks" it's *better* to
limit the result to six digits, so 0.75 is rounded to 0.8.

But, don't you think that the result is a little strange, or inaccurate?

-- 
Li Zhengji