Re: numeric precision when raising one numeric to another.

On Thu, May 19, 2005 at 02:25:58PM -0700, Dann Corbit wrote:
> Hmmm....
> I underestimated.
>
> pow(99999.99999,99999.99999) =

Yeah, a number with x digits raised to the power with something y digits
long could have a length approximating:

x * (10^y) digits

So two numbers both 4 digits long can have a result of upto 40,000
digits. You're only going to be able to them represent exactly for
cases where y is small and integer.

What's a meaningful limit? Do we simply say, you get upto 100 digits
and that's it? Or an extra parameter so you can specify directly?
--
Martijn van Oosterhout <kleptog(at)svana(dot)org> http://svana.org/kleptog/
> Patent. n. Genius is 5% inspiration and 95% perspiration. A patent is a
> tool for doing 5% of the work and then sitting around waiting for someone
> else to do the other 95% so you can sue them.