this post was submitted on 09 Oct 2025
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[–] WhiskyTangoFoxtrot@lemmy.world 19 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Show how 1/3 can be precisely represented in floating point.

[–] BigMikeInAustin@lemmy.world 36 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (2 children)

fl_numerator = 1

fl_denominator = 3

And division is a "stretch goal" once we get funding.

[–] Gork@sopuli.xyz 3 points 4 days ago

How many decimal places can it be stretched?

[–] MyBrainHurts@piefed.ca 2 points 4 days ago

As usual, the best jokes are in the comments. (Though goddamn I chuckled at the meme.)

[–] marcos@lemmy.world 1 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Do you have a computer type that can represent the entire rational set?

[–] calcopiritus@lemmy.world 4 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Yes. Have a structure with 2 BigInts. Treat one as the numerator. The other as denominators.

It might not be efficient or fast. But it is possible.

[–] marcos@lemmy.world 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

You are proposing that can represent the entire rational set?

[–] calcopiritus@lemmy.world 1 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Yes that is correct. A BigInt represents the entire integer set.

Rational numbers are defined by just 2 integers. Therefore, 2 BigInts represent the entire rational set.

[–] WhiskyTangoFoxtrot@lemmy.world 3 points 4 days ago (1 children)

No. They all need to mimic certain numbers.

[–] marcos@lemmy.world 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

So, you have a notation that can represent the entire rational set?

What exactly is being mimicked?

So, you have a notation that can represent the entire rational set?

No. That's not what the meme is about, and that's not what we're arguing about.

What exactly is being mimicked?

Fractions.