the need for 64 bits

[Steven D'Aprano]

On Sun, 27 Dec 2009 22:50:11 -0800, Mensanator wrote:

> I routinely use large numbers in my Collatz Conjecture work.
> 
> Really large. As in a quarter million bits. 

That's not large. *THIS* is a large number:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham's_number

Unless you need special notation merely to describe how to generate the 
number, it's not a large number.


-- 
Steven