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Re: BUG #5150: math bug


  • From: David Fetter <david(at)fetter(dot)org>
  • To: John R Pierce <pierce(at)hogranch(dot)com>
  • Cc: PostgreSQL Bugs <pgsql-bugs(at)postgresql(dot)org>
  • Subject: Re: BUG #5150: math bug
  • Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:45:21 -0700
  • Message-id: <20091031054521.GB28990@fetter.org> <text/plain>

On Fri, Oct 30, 2009 at 08:51:57PM -0700, John R Pierce wrote:
> Tom Lane wrote:
>> There is special-purpose software out there that can compute
>> exactly with rational numbers, but you aren't likely to find it
>> embedded in any general-purpose tools like databases --- the
>> use-case just isn't wide enough.  One reason why not is that it'll
>> still fall down on irrational numbers.
>>   
>
>
> <nit>
>
> 1/3 is a rational number.  however,  it is a repeating fraction when
> expressed in decimal.
>
> </nit>

<nit level="2">
The set of algebraic numbers, of which rational numbers are a proper
subset, is countable and hence has Lebesgue measure zero on the real
line.
</nit> ;)

Cheers,
David.
-- 
David Fetter <david(at)fetter(dot)org> http://fetter.org/
Phone: +1 415 235 3778  AIM: dfetter666  Yahoo!: dfetter
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