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<font face="serif">In class on Thursday I started to show my method
for determining the best short float machine number for <img
style="vertical-align: middle"
src="cid:part1.05040909.07020608@mercer.edu" alt="$\pi$">.
There was a question about how one would represent zero because
the IEEE standard states<br>
<br>
<img style="vertical-align: middle"
src="cid:part2.06070400.05010000@mercer.edu"
alt="$(-1)^s2^{c-\beta}(1+f)$"><br>
<br>
Since <img style="vertical-align: middle"
src="cid:part3.02000001.01080109@mercer.edu" alt="$c$"> and <img
style="vertical-align: middle"
src="cid:part4.06060107.00040008@mercer.edu" alt="$f$"> are
either zero or a positive value, a quick inspection reveals that
the expression can never equal zero. I had to go check the IEEE
standard (and your text) to confirm my suspicions. Zero is
DEFINED as <img style="vertical-align: middle"
src="cid:part5.02050209.06060806@mercer.edu" alt="$c=0$"> and <img
style="vertical-align: middle"
src="cid:part6.06080906.06000707@mercer.edu" alt="$f=0$">.
Oddly enough, the IEEE standard allows for a POSITIVE zero (when
s=0) and a NEGATIVE zero (when s=1).<br>
<br>
Now that this issue is cleared up, my original solution should
still stand. It is posted on the class website.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
Andrew J. Pounds, Ph.D. (<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:pounds_aj@mercer.edu">pounds_aj@mercer.edu</a>)
Professor of Chemistry and Computer Science
Mercer University, Macon, GA 31207 (478) 301-5627
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://faculty.mercer.edu/pounds_aj">http://faculty.mercer.edu/pounds_aj</a>
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