Re: Issues with factorial operator

From: "Cui Shijun" <rancpine(at)gmail(dot)com>
To: "Dann Corbit" <DCorbit(at)connx(dot)com>
Cc: "Jim C(dot) Nasby" <decibel(at)decibel(dot)org>, pgsql-hackers(at)postgresql(dot)org
Subject: Re: Issues with factorial operator
Date: 2007-06-09 06:11:23
Message-ID: 306760850706082311q190df4d1u58e090b67705cf0b@mail.gmail.com
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Hi,

2007/6/9, Dann Corbit <DCorbit(at)connx(dot)com>:
> It makes sense with factorial function to do an error check on the
> domain. Calculate beforehand, and figure out what the largest sensible
> domain value is.

well, in fact what we need is to calculate log10(n!) first to see if
the result will get exceeded.

>
> For instance, in Maple, I get this:
> > y:=92838278!;
> Error, object too large
> >
>
> The error message returns instantly.
>
> For reasonably large values, it might make sense to pre-compute
> factorials and store them in an array.
>It should also be possible to
> store 1/2 of Pascal's triangle in memory and demand load that memory
> segment the first time someone asks for factorials or combinations or
> permutations.

there may be too much memories to waste in that case... :-(

Regards
CUI Shijun

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