Real Numbers, Machine Numbers and Errors

P. M. Dew and K. R. James
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P. M. Dew: University of Leeds, Department of Computer Studies
K. R. James: University of Leeds, Department of Computer Studies

Chapter 4 in Introduction to Numerical Computation in Pascal, 1983, pp 70-92 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract Calculations with real numbers, whether performed by computer or by hand, are subject to numerical error. This form of error is unavoidable in numerical computation and should not be confused with ‘gross errors’ arising from programming mistakes or from incorrect design or misuse of algorithms. On a computer, numerical error is fundamentally machine dependent: its size depends on the way in which real numbers are represented in the computer. This is an important consideration for us to bear in mind when developing a mathematical library.

Keywords: Truncation Error; Fractional Part; Decimal Place; Relative Precision; Machine Number (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 1983
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DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4757-3940-4_4

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