computing expontential as repeated multiplication for small integer exponent



On 7/30/07, Raymond Toy <raymond.toy at ericsson.com> wrote:

> I don't think that solves your issue either.  GSL still involves some
> kind of number reader.  Are we sure the numbers are all read to produce
> exactly the same way?  Perhaps if we're all using exactly the same
> version of gcc (or sufficiently close), but I sometimes use Sun C to
> compile.

I think we;re on slightly steadier ground here. The number parser
is, I'm pretty sure, supposed to return the float nearest the rational
represented by the input string. I can't cite chapter & verse for
that so maybe that's not a requirement.

> And we still have maxima's reader.  I don't recall how it works, but
> eventually it must call the underlying Lisp to make a float.  Are we
> sure that's done exactly the same way?

I think Maxima calls READ-FROM-STRING.

> > EXPT is not really very important.
>
> Uh, ok.

Yeah, it was just making me slightly crazy. That's life.

Robert