Torture tests: what do they mean?

[Paul Dale]

Using my trusty 34S and the RSD function, I've produced a table of the corectly rounded results for differing numbers of significant digits.

Code:

digits     355/226               tan(column 2)
8       1.5707965               -5773501.9
9       1.57079646              -7507219.88
10      1.570796460             -7507219.878
11      1.5707964602            -7495965.1067
12      1.57079646018           -7497089.06508
13      1.570796460177          -7497257.687902
14      1.5707964601770         -7497257.6879019
15      1.57079646017699        -7497258.24999067
16      1.570796460176991       -7497258.193781790
17      1.5707964601769912      -7497258.1825400143
18      1.57079646017699115     -7497258.18535045830
19      1.570796460176991150    -7497258.185350458299
20      1.5707964601769911504   -7497258.1853279747468

The Prime and 50G are both producing the correctly rounded twelve digit results. The fifteen digit extended precision on the 50G is also getting the answer correct. I've no idea what the CASIO is doing


- Pauli