Decimal arithmatic, was Re: Python GUI app to impress the boss?

[Christian Tismer]

Paul Rubin wrote:
> "Chris Gonnerman" <chris.gonnerman at newcenturycomputers.net> writes:
> 
>>>>>>(.70 * .05) + .000000001
>>>>>
>>>rounds to the right thing.
>>
>>Cool.  Now PROVE that's right in all cases.
> 
> 
> What do you mean by "right"?  What do you mean by "all cases"?

Well, you can guess what's right:
What do you think is the definition of a business arithmetic?
Having no or minimum possible errors. And if, then positive
to my account, please. :)
All cases probably means every number inserted into the
above formula which can occour in business. This is finite.

>>Like I said, decimal arithmetic is STILL the only choice.
> 
> 
> I'm not convinced decimal arithmetic is "right in all cases".

It has a better chance to be right (meaning exact) since its
number base is identical to the money number base.
Having more prime factors than (2, 5) in it would lead to
even more fractions being exact, but I doubt that is not
what they want. They want the computer think exactly as
wrong as they do.

ciao - chris

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