numerical data types

[Peter Cameron]

On Fri, Oct 24, 2003 at 01:46:42PM +0100, Peter Dobcsanyi wrote:
> I suggest the following numerical types to be adopted in ext-rep:
> 
>     Corresponding to exact internal representation:
> 	- Arbitrary precision integers.
> 	- Arbitrary precision rationals.
> 
>     Corresponding to limited (inexact) internal representation:
> 	- Floating point decimals up to about 15-16 significant digits.
> 	- Complex numbers as (re, im) pairs based on the decimals above.
>
Agreed. We certainly need rationals since these will come up in various
places.

I can't see at present anywhere that complex numbers are used, but I
can imagine that we might need them sometime.

Peter.