Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!ucsd!ucbvax!MTUS5.BITNET!TDSTRONG From: TDSTRONG@MTUS5.BITNET (Tim Strong) Newsgroups: comp.sys.handhelds Subject: Re: Another 48SX bug? Message-ID: <9005032030.AA18018@hercules.csl.sri.com> Date: 3 May 90 21:02:03 GMT Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Distribution: inet Organization: The Internet Lines: 30 >Try the following: > >'3*X/3' COLCT > >This should collect things in the expression and give 'X' but it actually >gives the incorrect result of '.999999999999*X'. > >Is this another bug? No. It's rounding error. The calculator has to round off somewhere. It's a common occurance in computer programming. Often one has to make special efforts to eliminate it or ignore it in programs. For example, 7 SQRT SQR Will probably not give back 7 either. Though with the number of digits the 48 carries out inside (I hear its 15). it could. The inportant thing to realize is that rounding error will occur and you just have to work around it. HP made large strides on the 28 just making 'SIN(pi)' come out zero. Try pi ->NUM SIN and you'll see what I mean. =========================================================================== ___ Tim Strong |__) _ _| _ _ Michigan Technological University | (_| (_| (_| | Houghton, MI 49931 U.S.A. ===========================================================================