Binary scaling: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added
Tag: Reverted
Reverting edit(s) by 174.29.1.128 (talk) to rev. 965688106 by 107.242.121.27: Unexplained content removal (RW 16)
Tags: RW Undo Reverted
Line 6:
A representation of a value using binary scaling is more precise than a floating-point representation occupying the same number of bits, but typically represents values of a more limited range, therefore more easily leading to [[arithmetic overflow]] during computation. Implementation of operations using integer arithmetic instructions is often (but not always) faster than the corresponding floating-point instructions.
 
A position for the 'binary point' is chosen for each variable to be represented, and binary shifts associated with arithmetic operations are adjusted accordingly. The binary scaling corresponds in [[Q (number format)]] to the first digit, i.e. Q1.15 is a 16 bit integer scaled with one bit as integer and fifteen as fractional. A Bscal 1 or Q1.15 number would represent approximately 01.999 to −1−2.0.
 
To give an example, a common way to use [[arbitrary-precision arithmetic|integer arithmetic]] to simulate floating point, using 32-bit numbers, is to multiply the coefficients by 65536.