[Python-Dev] Re: PEP239 (Rational Numbers) Reference Implementation and new issues

Christian Tismer tismer@tismer.com
Wed, 02 Oct 2002 20:14:34 -0700


Raymond Hettinger wrote:
...

> There should be a builtin variable (overriddable within some inner scope)
> for a maximum denominator magnitude.  It should default to some value
> where performance tanks.  If set to None, then no limit would apply.
> 
> The HP32SII calculator implements a useful rational model using
> flags and a maximum denominator register.  If the first flag is clear,
> fractions are have denominators upto the maximum value.  If only
> the first flag is set, fractions always use the maximum denominator
> as the denominator and are then reduced (i.e. if the max is 8, then
> .5 is represented as 1/2 and .1 is represented as 1/8).

Makes very much sense to me.

-- 
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