Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!pdn!alan
From: alan@pdn.UUCP (Alan Lovejoy)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.modula2
Subject: Re: MathLib0 procedures
Message-ID: <3098@pdn.UUCP>
Date: 10 May 88 01:34:24 GMT
References: 
Reply-To: alan@pdn.UUCP (0000-Alan Lovejoy)
Organization: Paradyne Corporation, Largo, Florida
Lines: 24

In article  Info-Modula2 Distribution List  writes:
>Is the
>   PROCEDURE real(x:INTEGER): REAL;
>only another form of FLOAT(CARDINAL(x))

Real is a function defined on INTEGERs instead of CARDINALs.  Note that
if x < 0, then CARDINAL(x) is gibberish.

>or is the
>   PROCEDURE entier(x:REAL): INTEGER;
>just another form of INTEGER(TRUNC(x)) ?

Entier is a function whose domain is the INTEGERs, not the natural
numbers (CARDINALs).  It is known in American math jargon as "floor".
It returns the greatest number not less than its input, where greater
and lesser are defined arithmetically, not in terms of absolute
magnitude.  The distinction is important for INTEGERs, but not for
CARDINALs.

-- 
Alan Lovejoy; alan@pdn; 813-530-8241; Paradyne Corporation: Largo, Florida.
Disclaimer: Do not confuse my views with the official views of Paradyne
            Corporation (regardless of how confusing those views may be).
Motto: Never put off to run-time what you can do at compile-time!