python does have bignum integer, but there are subtle things, like if you divide an integer with an integer you get a float, where you do lose precision: >>>(1

python does have bignum integer, but there are subtle things, like if you divide an integer with an integer you get a float, where you do lose precision: >>>(100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000/2+1) % 2 == 0 True if you want to get an integer you have to use the relatively recent "//" operator: >>> (100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000//2+1) % 2 == 1 True in smalltalk you'd get a Rational or something like that.