Re: BUG #5150: math bug
David Fetter <david@fetter.org>
From: David Fetter <david@fetter.org>
To: John R Pierce <pierce@hogranch.com>
Cc: PostgreSQL Bugs <pgsql-bugs@postgresql.org>
Date: 2009-10-31T05:45:21Z
Lists: pgsql-bugs
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@fetter.org> http://fetter.org/ Phone: +1 415 235 3778 AIM: dfetter666 Yahoo!: dfetter Skype: davidfetter XMPP: david.fetter@gmail.com iCal: webcal://www.tripit.com/feed/ical/people/david74/tripit.ics Remember to vote! Consider donating to Postgres: http://www.postgresql.org/about/donate