From: david.brown@hesbynett.no   
      
   On 24/11/2025 14:17, Michael S wrote:   
   > On Mon, 24 Nov 2025 12:56:58 +0000   
   > bart  wrote:   
   >   
   >> On 24/11/2025 11:57, Michael S wrote:   
   >>> On Mon, 24 Nov 2025 11:45:18 +0000   
   >>> bart  wrote:   
   >>>>   
   >>>> But my scripting language has an arbitrary-precision /decimal/   
   >>>> floating point type, which can also be used for pure integer   
   >>>> calculations.   
   >>>>   
   >>>   
   >>> Arbitrary-precision floating point? That sounds problematic,   
   >>> regardless of base. Unless you don't use the word 'arbitrary' in   
   >>> the same sense that it is used, for example, in GMP.   
   >>> Gnu MPFR is very careful to never call itself "arbitrary-precision"   
   >>> in official docs.   
   >>>   
   >>   
   >> If you mean problems like repeated multiplies giving ever larger   
   >> numbers, then that will happen also with integers (or rationals).   
   >>   
   >> If you mean the problems with a divide operation potentially carrying   
   >> on indefinitely, then a cap needs to be set on that.   
   >>   
   >   
   > Yes, that what I meant.   
   >   
      
   I remember a fun programming task at university in a language similar to   
   Haskell, which involved writing an arbitrary precision fixed-point   
   decimal arithmetic package.  It included support for an infinite   
   polynomial expansion for arctan, and then use a Maclin-like formula to   
   get a "value" for pi.  It all worked well, as long as you remembered to   
   limit how many digits you printed out...   
      
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