Re: comparisons between floats and ratios

[fateman@dali.berkeley.edu (Richard Fateman)]

Subject: Re:  comparisons between floats and ratios

I remain unconvinced, and a private note from Cassels also didn't
help. (My mailing system was unable to send to Cassels individually,
	  so here is a simplified response )
consider (/ (expt 10 68) 1.0E38) .
The numerator overflows when you convert to floating point.
The quotient is representable. I think that CL should err on the
side of slow&correct.

While Cassel's solution to comparisons, by looking at overflows should be ok,
it won't solve the above problem.

Anyone who writes (+ x 1) when he means (+ x 1.0) can be warned or should
pay the cost. Anyone who wants to AVOID conversions to mathematically
reliable answers can easily insist on sloppy floats.