From: dxforth@gmail.com   
      
   On 11/04/2025 11:39 pm, sjack wrote:   
   > dxf  wrote:   
   >>   
   >> With REPRESENT we're dealing with full-precision numbers being displayed   
   >> in lesser precision.  Would 'significant digits plus one' even apply?   
   >>   
   > Unsure what is meant by "full-precision numbers" so the following   
   > reasoning my be off in that respect:   
   >   
   > Floating-point has _potential_ to express a number with _maximum_ of u   
   > significant digits plus one rounded digit.  However, in application a   
   > result may have less than the maximum potential significant digits and   
   > should be returned (displayed) with all digits _after the first   
   > non-significant digit_ chopped (or padded with zero's).   
   >   
   > For sure I'm no authority on floating-point numbers. The only thing   
   > I know is what I recall from remedial math in the olden days of light   
   > that one wants a result of u significant digits plus the one rounded   
   > digit. Such form of number is then useful for other floating-point   
   > calculations.   
      
   I recall IEEE-754 talking about 'correctly rounded' numbers when   
   converting to external representation.  This is likely to have   
   been a factor in Intel's decision to use 80-bits internally.   
      
   --- SoupGate-DOS v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)