[Tutor] Astonishing timing result

[Kent Johnson]

On Wed, Jun 25, 2008 at 12:05 PM, Lie Ryan <lie.1296 at gmail.com> wrote:

>    t_a = min(t_A, t_a)
>    t_b = min(t_A, t_b)
>    t_c = min(t_A, t_c)
>    t_d = min(t_A, t_d)

What is this for? It should at least be t_B, t_C, t_D.

> ## OUTPUT
> # 1.02956604958
> # 1.02956604958
> # 1.02956604958
> # 1.02956604958

It's *very easy* to write bogus timing tests, as this thread
demonstrates. Some protections:
- when comparing different implementations of a function, make sure
each implementation returns the correct result by checking the return
value. You probably want to make this check outside the actual timing
test.
- when your results don't make sense, suspect your tests.

Kent
Kent