BIB-VERSION:: CS-TR-v2.0
          ID:: STAN//CS-TR-67-64
       ENTRY:: January 03, 1996
ORGANIZATION:: Stanford University, Department of Computer Science
       TITLE:: Floating-point number representations: base choice versus
               exponent range
        TYPE:: Technical Report
      AUTHOR:: Richman, Paul L.
        DATE:: April 1967
       PAGES:: 36
    ABSTRACT:: A digital computer whose memory words are composed of r-state
               devices is considered. The choice of the base, $\Beta$, for
               the internal floating-point numbers on such a computer is
               discussed. Larger values of $\Beta$ necessitate the use of
               more r-state devices for the mantissa, in order to preserve
               some "minimum accuracy," leaving fewer r-state devices for
               the exponent of $\Beta$. As $\Beta$ increases, the exponent
               range may increase for a short period, but it must ultimately
               decrease to zero. Of course, this behavior depends on what
               definition of accuracy is used. This behavior is analyzed for
               a recently proposed definition of accuracy which specifies
               when it is to be said that the set of q-digit base $\Beta$
               floating-point numbers is accurate to p-digits base t. The
               only case of practical importance today is t=10 and r=2; and
               in this case we find that $\Beta$ = 2 is always best. However
               the analysis is done to cover all cases.
       NOTES:: [Adminitrivia V1/Prg/19960103]
         END:: STAN//CS-TR-67-64