high precision mathematics

[Paul Rubin]

"Karl M. Syring" <syring at email.com> writes:
> > > > Not likely.
> > >
> > > You really should have a look at high precison libraries (e.g.
> > > http://www.hipilib.de). They will use rational numbers internally.
> >
> > Yes, but who actually uses those libraries, and for what?
> 
> The author of the Piologie library said somewhere that extended precision
> floating point arithmetic is completely useless, but it is fun.  Then there
> is the secret message coded into pi ... locate your name in pi
> (http://pi.nersc.gov)

High precision floating point and exact rational arithmetic have their
uses, but almost all ordinary numerical computing uses ordinary
floating point.  It's very unlikely that anyone would use exact
rational arithmetic for robot motion control.