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All number formats have tradeoffs, nothing can robustly represent all real numbers. At least floats are standardized and their probmems relatively well characte
by zokier 4y ago
All number formats have tradeoffs, nothing can robustly represent all real numbers. At least floats are standardized and their probmems relatively well characterized and understood.
- int_19h 4y agoThe problems with decimal rounding are even better understood and standardized, given that we've been working with decimals long before we had binary computers.
- esoterica 4y agoYou realize that decimal rounding has the literal exact same type of problems as binary rounding right? It’s literally just a different base.
- int_19h 4y agoI do realize that. The point is that humans are familiar with the typical manifestations of those problems in decimal representation, because that's what we use day to day. Every kid who had a calculator to play with while they were bored knows what 1/3 does. They also know that 0.1 + 0.2 gives exactly 0.3. The problem isn't binary itself, even. It's that our tools pretend that it's decimal, misleading people. If it looks like decimal, it should behave as one by default.