CS 101: Numerical Computing

Abhiram Ranade
Representing Integers
int x; : reserves one cell in memory for x.
One cell: One word has 32 capacitors.
Each capacitor can have High/Low charge.
Storing positive numbers only: Represent
number to be stored in binary, and store
High charge for 1, Low charge for 0.
How to store negative numbers?
Sign magnitude representation
Key idea: One of the capacitors determines sign.
L = +, H= -
x = 5; : store L LLLL...LHLH
x = -5; : store H LLLL...LHLH
Max positive number: L H...H = + 2
31
-1
Min negative number: H H...H = - 2
31
-1
2
31
is almost = 2 * 10
9
Actual representation is slightly different.
How to store larger numbers?
Use Long integers: long x;
Reserves 2 words, with one sign bit. Max
magnitude 2
63
-1, about 10
19
Use floating point representation.

Floating Point Representation
float y; : reserve 1 word = 32 bits as before.
24 bits : mantissa. 8 bits: exponent. Each
includes a sign bit.
Mantissa can only store 23 bit accuracy, about 7
decimal digits.
Exponent can be between -100 and +100 (about).
double z; : 53 bits of mantissa, 11 bits exponent.
Summary
Cohoon gives exact details. Not important
in this course. Various other formats, e.g.
unsigned int, short.
Circuits are more complex for floating
representation, sign...

God made natural numbers, the rest is the
work of man. -- Leopold Kronecker.
Floating Point Arithmetic
float w, y=1.5, avogadro=6.023 E 23 ;
w = avogadro + y;
What is the value of w?
Exact value of w and avogadro will differ in
the 23rd digit.
float stores only 7 digits. 23rd digit
ignored. -- roundoff error.
w = avogadro!
Mixed Arithmetic
C++ converts from float to int and vice
versa as needed.
int x=10; float y=6.5;
x=y; : 6.5 is rounded down. x=6.
360/x : integer result is calculated.
360.0/x : float result is calculated.
360/y : float result. Try out yourself!
Simple Numerical Program
#include <turtlesim.h>
procedure turtleMain(){
float c;
cout << Centigrade temperature: << endl;
cin >> c;
cout << Fahrenheit: << (c*9/5)+32;
}
Remarks on Arithmetic
Multiplication: write explicitly using *.
*, / have higher precedence than +, -
*, / have equal precedence, evaluated in left
to right order. Similarly +, -
x = m % n; % : mod. m=10,n=4, x=2.
Same precedence as *, /
Use () to override default precedence.
Comments
Programs are read by compilers, but also by
other programmers.
You should include extra description
(comment) to help other programmers
figure out the logic:
Style 1: // ...... to end of line
Style 2: /* .... */ Examples soon.
Important Idea: Reassignment
int m=5;
m = 3*m + 1; // Reassignment

Mathematically absurd: simplify to
0 = 2*m+1
C++ interpretation: Calculate the value of rhs,
then store it in lhs. Above: m = 16.
Important inside loops. Next..
Reassignment in Loops
int i=1;
repeat(5){
forward(i); right(90);
forward(i); right(90);
i = i + 1;
}
What will be drawn?
Nested Squares
How will you draw this pattern? Can you avoid
writing 7 calls to procedure Polygon?
Side length: 2, 4, 6, ...
Homework: draw this


Make pattern go around a polygon/circle
Number of times to spiral: read from cin
Common Programming pattern
Repeat n times with i taking different values

Cleanly specified using for statement:

for( xxx; yyy; zzz ) { www } // next..

Useful in numerical computing also
Spiral using for
int i;
for(i=1; i < 6; i=i+1){
forward(i); right(90);
forward(i); right(90);
}
for(xxx; yyy; zzz) { www }
0. Execute xxx;. Must be an assignment
statement. loop initialization
1. Evaluate condition yyy. loop test. If true,
continue with step 2; if false, for statement
execution ends.
2. Execute www. loop body
3. Execute zzz. loop increment
4. Continue from 1.
Condition
a op b where op is <, >, <=, >=, ==, !=
== : is equal to
!= : is not equal to
Conditions can be combined:
(a > 0) && (a <= 9) : true if a is a positive digit.
&& : conjunction. and
|| : disjunction. or
More examples of for
for(j=10; j>0 ; j=j-1){ cout << j*j << endl; }
What is printed?
for(int i=1; i < 100; i=i*2){ cout << i << endl; }
What is printed?
i can be defined inside for then i cannot be accessed
outside of loop body ( {cout... } )
{ ... } is the scope of i.
And one more..
int i=0,num;
for( cin >> num; num > 1; num = num/2){ }
cout << i << endl;

num=num/2 : integer part of the quotient.
What is printed?
Computing ln x
Must use arithmetic operations.
Estimate the area under f(x) = 1/x from 1 to
x.
Area approximated by small rectangles.
Riemann Integral
1
x
How many rectangles?
More the merrier! Say 1000.
Total width of rectangles = x - 1.
Width w of each = (x - 1)/1000
x coordinate of left side of ith rectangle
1 + (i-1)w.
Height of ith rectangle = 1/(1+(i-1)w)
Program to compute ln
procedure turtleMain(){
float x, area=0, w;
cin >> x; w = (x-1)/1000.0;
for(int i=1 ; i <= 1000 ; i=i+1){
area = area + w*(1/(1+(i-1)*w);
}
cout << ln( << x << )= << area << endl;
}
Notes
ith iteration adds area of ith rectangle to
area.
It is customary to count starting at 0, so
there is a zeroth rectangle, first rectangle..
height of (new) ith rectangle = 1+ iw
i++ : short form for i=i+1
area += q : short form for area = area + q
New program
procedure turtleMain(){
float x, area=0, w;
cin >> x; w = (x-1)/1000.0;
for(int i=0; i < 1000; i++)
area += w/(1+i*w);
cout << ln(<< x << )=<< area << endl;
}
Homework
Write a program that prints a conversion table
from centigrade to Fahrenheit; for i = 1 to 100 it
should print equivalent value in Fahrenheit. Use
above procedure.
Write a program that integrates f(x)=x. Check
how much error it makes by doing a direct
calculation.
Write a program that computes x
n
given x and n.
Write a program that computes n! given n.