function::fp_eq - Linux
Overview
fp_eq is a command for comparing two floating-point numbers for equality with hardware floating-point precision. It’s primarily used to perform precise floating-point comparisons in situations where the standard equality operator (==) might yield unexpected results due to floating-point precision issues.
Syntax
fp_eq <number_1> <number_2>
<number_1>and<number_2>are floating-point numbers to be compared.
Options/Flags
None.
Examples
To compare two floating-point numbers for equality:
$ fp_eq 1.0 1.0000000000000002
False
In this example, fp_eq recognizes that the two numbers are not equal, even though they appear to be equal when viewed with insufficient precision.
To validate floating-point equality within a given tolerance:
$ fp_eq 0.123456789 0.123456788 0.000000001
True
Here, fp_eq considers the numbers equal within the specified tolerance of 0.000000001.
Common Issues
- Floating-point rounding errors: Floating-point arithmetic is inherently imprecise, which can lead to subtle differences in comparisons. Using fp_eq ensures comparisons are performed with hardware precision, minimizing the impact of rounding errors.
Integration
fp_eq can be integrated into scripts or pipelines to perform precise floating-point comparisons. For example, it can be used to verify the equality of computed values or to filter data based on specific floating-point criteria.
Related Commands
- bc: A command-line calculator with arbitrary precision.
- python: A versatile programming language with advanced support for floating-point operations.