50 digits precision handheld calculator is it achievable or not?

[Jean-Marc]

(01-17-2014 10:56 PM)Joe Horn Wrote:  It's been available for many years. It's called the HP 50g with the free LongFloat library installed. LongFloat lets you specify how many digits of precision you want, up to 9999 (really!) and it gives you new functions which use that precision, with guaranteed accuracy. It brilliantly uses the "long real" object type which HP built into the 50g and then never got around to supporting. (N.B. its header is 0263A, not 02955 which is the "extended real" type which only has 15-digit mantissas).

50-digit arithmetic with the LongFloat library is very fast. 50 digits times 50 digits takes 0.076 seconds. More digits takes longer. For example, finding 500 digits of the square root of 2 takes 2 seconds.

If you want a calculator that does 50 digit math, but you don't want to bother installing software on it, I'd be happy to install LongFloat in a 50g and sell it to you. ;-)

The LongFloat library functions are fully programmable. Accuracy is both globally and locally programmable. The functions include:

• Add, subtract, multiply, divide
• Square root, Fast Integer Part of Square Root, Square
• 1/x, -x, |x|, sign(x)
• IP, FP
• y^x, e^x, ln, ln(x+1), Gamma
• sin, cos, tan, and their inverses & hyperbolic versions
• real<>complex, conjugate, LongFloat i, LongFloat pi
• LongFloat<>Normal real
• Split LongFloat into mantissa and exponent
• Programming test functions (equal, not equal, less than, etc)
• LongFloat<>Continued Fraction (!!!)
• Unit support
• Matrix support, CON, IDN, DOT, TRN, DET
• LongFloat root finder
• Interval math support
• PSLQ (!!!)
• 5 input/output modes: Std, Floor, Ceil, Trunc, and Interval
  

Will a 50 digits precission be ever required? I don't have a need for it but who can really tell. Someone else might have a need for this requirement. I like fast cars and some of them can go as fast as 200km/hr or more. Will I ever go that fast? The answer is no but I like the idea that I could if I wanted too.

Reading the above post 50 digits internal precision is an immediate possibility with an ARM chip. We don't need to wait for the next Grapheen transistors Wow! Will the battery life be adequate. This is subjective. People feel happy and expect to charge their electronic devices everyday. I don't! What if they could charge it once a year or be solar powered and never requiring batteries.

Making a device and packing more into a smaller area would make it hotter to operate. One solution would be to insulate. The second is to have hardware that emit less heat.

A handheld calculator will remain a part of our electronic inventry because it provides convenience. We have an expectation for accuracy, reliability and portability. Devices that exceed our expectations such as been customised to our personal need will sell. Software can be customised to display the commonly used functions for a particular field or situation. A range of covers, colours, display screen that is esthetic and pleasing will sell. The over half of our population is female and has a strong influence on us all. We have computer and yet we are still using pencil and paper. The tactile interactions to put thoughts in writting is still best provided on paper.

All you smart guys don't ever stop pushing the boundaries. Hope you like my ranting! .