Xref: utzoo comp.lang.misc:3512 comp.arch:11505
Newsgroups: comp.lang.misc,comp.arch
Path: utzoo!henry
From: henry@utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer)
Subject: Re: Fast conversions, another urban myth?
Message-ID: <1989Sep25.184425.20936@utzoo.uucp>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
References: <832@dms.UUCP> <688@UALTAVM.BITNET> <9dAz02zs58y201@amdahl.uts.amdahl.com> <27935@winchester.mips.COM> <136@bbxsda.UUCP> <1989Sep22.201906.10618@utzoo.uucp> <164@bbxsda.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 25 Sep 89 18:44:25 GMT

In article <164@bbxsda.UUCP> scott@bbxsda.UUCP (Scott Amspoker) writes:
>>Can you explain why binary integer arithmetic is less accurate than
>>decimal integer arithmetic for your applications?
>
>I was refering to decimal floating point as opposed to binary floating
>point.  Integers never entered into the discussion at all...

Decimal *floating* point?  For money?  Are you sure you don't mean
decimal *fixed* point?  (That is, integers plus a bit of compile-time
bookkeeping for decimal-point positions.)  If you're thinking of COBOL
arithmetic, that's definitely fixed-point.
-- 
"Where is D.D. Harriman now,   |     Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology
when we really *need* him?"    | uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry henry@zoo.toronto.edu