Contributing to GMP

[Marco Bodrato]

Ciao,

Il Lun, 24 Febbraio 2020 9:30 am, Marc Glisse ha scritto:
> On Mon, 24 Feb 2020, Marco Bodrato wrote:
>> I agree, a log_ui function does not belong to the current mpq_t
>> interface.
>>
>> But maybe it would be interesting to write some mpq_ functions giving
>> inexact results... If it is possible to return a fraction that is a good

>> E.g. the attached code computes the square root of a fraction. It

>> Might inexact functions on rationals, like this one, be useful to
>> someone?

> In CGAL, we use
>
> template <typename NT>
> NT approximate_sqrt(const NT& nt, CGAL::Field_tag)
> {
>    return NT(sqrt(CGAL::to_double(nt)));
> }

> That is, for types without sqrt, we convert to double, compute sqrt, and
> convert back.

> I think speed may be important there, or precision just
> doesn't matter that much.

Of course, if you don't care to obtain sqrt(9/49) = 3/7 or anything
different...

>> Anyway, extending the rational interface in a coherent way, to add also
>> inexact functions, seems difficult.
>
> At least I would give it a name that more clearly reflects its approximate
> nature, like mpq_approximate_sqrt.

Well, also mpz_sqrt is not exact :-) But of course, with mpq, we can
decide how to approximate.

Ĝis,
m