Working with the set of real numbers (was: Finding size of Variable)

[Grant Edwards]

On 2014-02-12, Ben Finney <ben+python at benfinney.id.au> wrote:
> Chris Angelico <rosuav at gmail.com> writes:
>
>> I have yet to find any computer that works with the set of real
>> numbers in any way. Never mind optimization, they simply cannot work
>> with real numbers.
>
> Not *any* computer? Not in *any* way? The Python built-in "float"
> type "works with the set of real numbers", in a way.

The only people who think that are people who don't actualy _use_
floating point types on computers.

> What specific behaviour would, for you, qualify as "works with the
> set of real numbers in any way"

There's a whole laundry list of things (some of them rather nasty and
difficult) you have to worry about when using FP that simply don't
apply to "real" numbers.

-- 
Grant Edwards               grant.b.edwards        Yow! HUGH BEAUMONT died
                                  at               in 1982!!
                              gmail.com