[Python-Dev] Re: Stability and change

Paul Prescod paul@prescod.net
Mon, 27 May 2002 10:41:23 -0700


"Martin v. Loewis" wrote:
>=20
> pinard@iro.umontreal.ca (Fran=E7ois Pinard) writes:
>=20
> > > I also use 2.0 as the lowest common denominator.
> >
> > Linguistic problem :-).  Should we say "greatest" instead of "lowest"=
?
> > Granted that the greatest common denominator is not "greatest" in any=
 other
> > way, but it is lower or equal than any of the things we consider.  Th=
e real
> > "lowest" common denominator might be very close to nothing, might it =
not?
>=20
> For any two natural numbers, the lowest common denominator is
> 1. Finding the greatest (largest?) common denominator is indeed what
> involves an algorithm.

GCD =3D greatest common divisor
LCD =3D lowest common denominator

http://www.dictionary.com/cgi-bin/dict.pl?term=3Dgcd&r=3D67
http://www.dictionary.com/cgi-bin/dict.pl?term=3Dlcd&r=3D67

 Paul Prescod